


Winds of Change

by CassLynn412



Series: Eagle Miraculous [3]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bad Parent Gabriel Agreste, Chloé Bourgeois Redemption, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Lila Rossi Bashing, Lila Rossi Lies, Post-Episode: s03 Caméléon | Chameleon, Sibling Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:20:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 29
Words: 80,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25249063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CassLynn412/pseuds/CassLynn412
Summary: The fallout of their last encounter with Hawkmoth left Casey with a lot of issues to wade through. She now has to learn how to balance being the best sister she can be and still taking care of herself. Adrien's life was changing in ways that he never thought it would. While most of it is for the better, he's still not sure how he feels about some of them. There's also the fact that both siblings are in need of some therapy and some people believe Casey is an unfit guardian or has some half-baked scheme to take Gabriel's money. Lila stirring up trouble during the school year, does little more than piss both siblings off. Good thing no one's causing akumas, otherwise they'd have been akumatized a dozen times...
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe
Series: Eagle Miraculous [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1745497
Comments: 49
Kudos: 37





	1. Move-In

**Author's Note:**

> Final part of the trilogy! Thanks so much for keeping with the story. It's encouraging knowing you all love these characters as much as I do. This will probably read more like a collection of connected one-shots rather than one huge story, and I also don't know how long it's going to be. I hope you enjoy the final installment of the Eagle Miraculous Series!

Casey's apartment was buzzing with activity. She was running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Marinette, Nino, Alya, Kagami and Luka were in her apartment, along with Daisy, Adrien, Solomon, Felice and Josue. While Casey loved that everyone wanted to help Adrien move in, she probably should have set a limit, because this was a little overwhelming for her. After her eight months in solitude inside the Miraculous, she still hadn't gotten used to being around large groups of people again. 

They had sorted through all of Adrien's stuff at the Agreste Mansion, figuring out what could come to the apartment, what could be pitched and what could be sold or put in storage. Casey thought that would have made the move-in more...bearable. How wrong she was. There were at least thirty different boxes that they had to sort through, all of them piling up in the living room. Aunt Felice and Daisy were in the kitchen, making snacks for everyone, Adrien was in his room with Marinette, Nino and Kagami, figuring out how he wanted his room to be laid out and Luka, Alya and Josue kept bringing in the boxes. Solomon was keeping Casey calm by helping her sort through boxes. 

"I swear, I was not prepared for this much stuff," Casey moaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "It wasn't this bad when I moved in." 

Solomon gave her a pat on the shoulder and a consoling grunt. Casey opened some boxes labeled 'anime' in Adrien's handwriting. Looking inside, she found a lot of dvds that she could put on the shelf in the tv stand. She picked up the box and hauled it over to the tv and started adding them to the collection of dvds. She was thankful that she didn't have a lot of movies. While unpacking them, she found a movie called Solitude. Casey recognized Adrien's mother on the case and moved it over into the sentimental area of the collection. 

"Casey!" Adrien called. 

Casey let out a sigh. "One sec!" 

She got up from her spot by the tv and stretched her arms out. She walked back to Adrien's room. Adrien's room was across the hall from Casey's. Casey and Adrien had found a nice loft bed, which he had moved into the corner, right next to the window. His desk was at the opposite wall with his dresser right next to it. There were some bookshelves that still needed to be put together sitting by the door. Adrien and Nino were hoisting the mattress onto the bed while Marinette and Kagami watched as they struggled. 

"Room looks good," Casey commented. "Did you guys need something?" 

"I had a question about the bookshelves," Adrien replied, giving the mattress a shove onto the bed. 

"Shoot." 

"Do you think we can put them under the loft bed?" 

Casey glanced at the boxes then at the space under Adrien's bed. "Let's check to make sure the bookshelves can fit under there before trying that. You ready for some boxes to come in here?" 

Adrien gave her an enthusiastic nod. "Just let me get this mattress up." 

"Want a hand?" Casey asked with a smirk. 

"Yes please," Nino piped. 

The boys put the edges of the mattress up. Casey shoved the side and it slid onto the bed. They exchanged high fives and Casey went out to tell Josue and Luka that they could take some of the boxes back to Adrien's room. 

"Dude, your sister is awesome," Nino stated. "I still can't believe she's your sister." 

"She is," Adrien agreed. "I'm glad she wanted to take me in." 

"Casey values her family," Kagami replied. "She would feel shame if she didn't." 

"And she's been really great about keeping things quiet," Adrien said. "Honestly, it's been kind of crazy these past few weeks."

"We're here for you," Marinette assured him. "If you need us, just call." 

"Yeah, we'll be over in a heartbeat," Nino added enthusiastically. 

Luka and Josue came in, dropping three boxes off. The bottom two were some of his clothes, the other was the box with some of his manga collection that Casey had designated for his room since they were his favorites. The rest of his collection was going to be on the big bookshelf in the living room. Adrien set the manga box to the side to open once the bookshelves for his room were put together. 

Daisy ran into his room, ducking between Josue and Luka. "Aunt Felice says it's time for a lunch break," she stated happily. "And Casey restocked on soda." 

Adrien and Daisy locked eyes. "Cidona!" they cheered. 

"I respect you, little dudette," Nino stated. "But I don't see how you drink that stuff. It's disgusting. Sprite is where it's at." 

"Betrayed by my own best friend," Adrien replied dramatically. "How could you, Nino?" 

"Bite your tongue," Daisy added. "Cidona is the best!"

"I have to agree with Nino," Josue interjected. "Only you two and Casey can stand cidona." 

"Uncle Josue, we disown you," Daisy replied, making a big show of shunning her uncle. 

"Let's go get lunch," Marinette piped, chuckling at the dramatics of Adrien and Daisy. "Then you can return to your little debate about soda. Just know, all of you are wrong. Orangina is the best." 

"Agreed," Kagami replied, high fiving Marinette. 

"I want to argue, but at the same time...orangina is pretty good." 

"Daisy!" Adrien gasped. "Don't you betray me too!" 

"I said it's pretty good, not as good as cidona," Daisy reasoned. "Besides, I must stay loyal to my motherland!" 

"You guys coming to get lunch?!" Casey called. "Because if you don't come get it now, someone else just might eat it!" 

"Coming!" they all replied, heading towards the kitchen. 

Adrien couldn't stop smiling all through lunch. The soda debate continued, with almost everyone taking a side, except for Solomon, Alya and Felice, who said it was just soda and it didn't matter (that and Alya just wasn't that big of a fan of soda). They were relentlessly teased for saying such a thing. Unfortunately, they couldn't come to a clear cut winner. While the three siblings all sided on cidona, Luka sided with Marinette and Kagami, bringing cidona and orangina to a tie, much to Nino and Josue's dismay. Adrien recalled the Hero debate he, Marinette, Alya and Nino had and they were unable to convince Casey to pick a favorite between Ladybug and Chat Noir. Everyone stayed around for three more hours after lunch before everyone that wasn't family had to head home. Almost all of Adrien's stuff was unpacked, save for a few boxes with records and room decorations. He, Casey, Daisy, Felice and Josue collapsed on the couch. 

"It took all day, but we did it," Casey said with a weary smile. "Little brother, you are officially moved in." 

Plagg and Tali floated out of Casey's room and joined them on the couch. 

"Yeah, but you had to keep me sequestered in a room with _her_ all day," Plagg complained, pointing a paw at Tali. "Do have any idea how insufferable she can be?" 

"I am not that bad," Tali argued. "I just told you to keep your stinky cheese out of my space." 

"Exactly! How can you insult pure goodness like camembert?" 

"Why did you have cheese in my room?" Casey asked. "I told you, specifically, cheese stays in the fridge where it can't stink up anybody's stuff." 

"You're forgetting that Plagg's a glutton," Adrien piped. 

Daisy sniffed at the piece of cheese Plagg was holding. "It's not that bad. Can I try it?" 

Plagg hissed. "My cheese!" 

"Asshole," Daisy huffed, sticking her tongue out. 

"Daisy," Felice chided. 

"Blame Casey. She taught me that." 

"Thanks for throwing me under the bus, sis," Casey replied. 

Felice gave Casey a pointed look. "Set an example for your siblings and don't teach them anymore bad language." 

"Too late. She already taught me her whole vocabulary," Adrien stated with a smirk. 

Casey shot him a playful glare. "Are you trying to get my mouth washed out with soap?" 

"No, just telling the truth," Adrien teased. 

Felice shook her head with a small smile. "You are a bad influence on children everywhere, Casey." 

"Blame my bad influence. Danny taught me everything I know." 

"Weren't you supposed to be her _good_ influence?" Josue asked. 

"No, that was Aria. I was just supposed to provide the bail money and the common sense." 

"Whatever you say, Case," Daisy replied, laying her head across Casey's lap. 

Felice glanced at her watch. "It's getting late. We should probably head out." 

Daisy pouted. "Can't we stay a little longer?" 

Josue shook his head. "You need your sleep. I'm not sending you back to your parents with a coffee addiction." 

"You don't even give me caffeinated coffee," Daisy reasoned. 

"Don't sweat it, Dais," Adrien said. "You can come back tomorrow." 

"Nope, I want to stay." 

"What if we went to the ice rink?" Casey offered. "It'll be my day off." 

Daisy took a moment to consider the deal. "Ice rink and Andre's ice cream?" 

"Don't push it," Casey replied. 

"Ok, ok," Daisy said, holding her hands up in surrender. "I'll settle for the ice rink." 

Felice flashed them a grateful smile. "Alright Daisy, let's get going. These two are probably the most tired of the bunch." 

"See you guys tomorrow!" 

Daisy gave them each a quick hug and patted the kwamis on the heads. Casey saw them to the door, then came back and collapsed with a sigh. 

"Finally ready to relax?" Adrien asked. 

Casey nodded. "It is finally over. I can take a break." 

"Thanks for wanting to take me, Casey. I know you had to do a lot for me." 

"I'd do it all again if I had to. I wasn't going to let you go through this on your own. Do you like your new room?" 

Adrien nodded. "It's nice and small." 

"Yeah, this place is a bit smaller than what you're used to." 

"But I like it. It feels lived in. It feels warm." 

"Hey, Casey," Plagg piped. "You sure I can't keep some cheese in-" 

"Cheese stays in the fridge, Plagg," Casey replied. "You're not making me change my mind." 

"But-" 

"I'll sick Tali on you." 

"Fridge it is." 

"That's what I thought," Casey mused with a satisfied smirk. "She's almost as effective as Tikki." 

Adrien chuckled. Both Tali and Tikki were effective at getting Plagg to stop complaining. He had a feeling Plagg was just a little scared of incurring their wrath. Adrien and Casey decided to spend the evening watching a movie. Adrien convinced her to watch one of the Sailor Moon movies. Plagg and Tikki perched on their shoulders as they got absorbed into the movie. Adrien felt good. It was nice to be in a place he felt loved.


	2. Ice Rink

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The siblings go ice skating and bump into one of Adrien's friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, just to clarify, Miracle Queen never happened in this, so Master Fu is still around and Chloe still can grow and fully redeem herself. I say that, just so this and whatever future chapters involving Chloe make sense.

Adrien woke up and nearly had a heart-attack. He had grown so accustomed to sharing a room with Daisy at Felice and Josue's house that he started thinking something was wrong when he didn't see his little sister in a bed on the other side of the room. When he remembered he had moved in with Casey, he managed to calm down. Plagg was sleeping in a nook that Adrien had set up for him on the window sill. Adrien stretched out his arms and legs and peeked out of his room. The door to Casey's room was open, which meant she was probably awake. The smell of bacon reached his nose and Adrien went to the kitchen to investigate. Sure enough, Casey was standing at the stove, cooking breakfast. 

"Morning, Kit-Cat," Casey said, switching the now-cooked bacon with some raw strips. "Sleep well?" 

"Yeah. I slept like a baby," Adrien replied. "Is that breakfast?" 

"It's almost done. There's some fruit on the table. Eggs and bacon are almost done. Plagg awake?" 

"He could sleep for a whole week if you let him," Adrien joked. 

She chuckled. "I can believe that. He acts enough like an actual cat." 

"When's Daisy coming over?" 

Casey glanced at the clock. "Mm...about an hour. Then we can spend the morning at the ice rink." 

"We're not gonna get ambushed, are we?" 

Casey didn't answer right away. In the past few weeks it had become commonplace for the paparazzi to surprise one of them while they were out. It was more Casey than him, and Adrien guessed that she wanted it that way. Anytime they got ambushed while they were out together...well, Casey did her best to make sure that they weren't sticking the cameras in his face. Occasionally she'd call Solomon of Felice and ask to hitch a ride, as Casey was still saving up for a car. 

"I don't know if they'll ambush us," Casey admitted. "But let's try not to worry about it. It's a family day. Time for some good, family fun. If it happens...I'll deal with it." 

"I hope there aren't any fangirls," Adrien grumbled. 

Casey made a gagging sound. "Those girls...don't they have better things to do? Seriously, they are absolute creeps. Who chases a guy all the way across Paris? I have a mind to smack them all upside the head with my sticks." 

"They don't show up when you're around," Adrien pointed out. "I think you intimidate them." 

"I'm not even trying to intimidate them," Casey replied with a dark smirk. "Not yet, anyways." 

"I suddenly feel very scared for whatever poor soul ends up becoming your enemy." 

Casey chuckled as she handed him a plate of bacon and eggs. "Eat your breakfast." 

Plagg and Tali came floating into the kitchen, both searching for their respective food. Casey shot Plagg a look as he opened up the fridge. 

"Make a mess of my fridge and we're gonna have words," she warned. "The camembert is in the right, bottom drawer. That is officially your cheese stash." 

"Thank you," Plagg replied, pulling out a whole wheel of camembert. 

Tali came zooming from the pantry with a small piece of chocolate. "Why do you need that much food when you've just woken up?" 

"Some of us need to consume more calories than others," Plagg replied. "And besides, it's delicious." 

"Plagg, I hope you know to pace yourself. Camembert isn't cheap and I'm not buying a dozen wheels a week," Casey stated. 

"I can pace myself." 

"You're the definition of a glutton," Adrien piped. 

"Either way, Casey would buy me all the camembert I want or I wouldn't be able to help you transform." 

"I'd probably just make you eat cheddar," Casey said, smirking at the kwami. 

Plagg gasped. "You wouldn't dare!" 

"Would too. I made Tali eat peppermints for a week once." 

"I hated you that week." 

"Your fault I lost all my stuff," Casey stated. "You said I had to help that guy on the street and what did he do? He stole my bag." 

"Wait, I want to hear this story," Adrien replied. "What happened?" 

"So, we were on vacation at Corfe Castle," Casey explained. "And Mom let me and Tali go off on our own. I was...about fifteen. Well, we see this guy on the street, asking people for some extra cash. _Tali_ tells me that I should give him some of my change, so I take some out of my wallet and give it to him. Put my wallet away and he sneaks up behind me and grabs my bag. There goes all my money for buying souvenirs and the stash of chocolate for Tali." 

"In my defense, he seemed to be a decent man who was just having a hard time," Tali piped. 

"He still stole my bag and the sixty pounds I had." 

"How does the peppermint play into this?" Plagg inquired. 

"Well, the place we were staying at had those complimentary bowls of peppermint candies in the lobby," Casey continued. "Everyday for the rest of the vacation I'd sneak a huge handful of the candies into my hoodie pocket for Tali to eat. She complained so much about it. She still hasn't forgiven me for it." 

Adrien and Plagg started cracking up. Adrien was even more sure that Casey could and would make Plagg eat cheddar cheese if he ate all of his camembert before she went shopping again. Adrien spotted the amused looks Tali and Casey gave each other. Clearly they both laughed about the story now. 

Adrien helped Casey clean up once they were done with breakfast, then they got ready for their morning out. Casey had a small backpack, which was filled with some snacks and water bottles, her cellphone and her wallet. Daisy came knocking on their door, bouncing with energy with her camera hanging around her neck. 

"Lets go, lets go!" she cheered. 

"Let me lock up, first," Casey replied, making sure the apartment was locked tight. "We don't want to get robbed." 

"Please. Barely anyone knows there's an apartment here," Daisy scoffed. "Now come on! I want to skate as much as possible!" 

"We're coming," Adrien said, following Daisy down the stairs. 

He and Casey shared knowing smiles. Daisy skipped a few feet ahead of them as they walked to the ice rink. Adrien tried to ignore some of the gazes people gave them as they walked down the street. He was used to it, whether they were looking at him because he was a model or because the news was still blasting the story about Gabriel being Hawkmoth. He focused on following behind Daisy. 

They got to the ice rink without incident. Phillipe was incredibly welcoming when they walked in and remembered the last time Adrien came with a group of people. The ice rink had a few families skating, which was a welcome change from Adrien's last visit. Casey got their skates, helped Daisy lace up and then they went onto the ice. It became clear very quickly who the best skater of the trio was. Adrien could skate circles around his sisters, which he did. Daisy wasn't interested in being fast or flashy, she just wanted to skate around and take pictures. Casey, for all her control in regular shoes, was a mess. 

"Why would you suggest ice skating if you're this bad at it?" Adrien asked with a laugh.

"Because-" Casey replied, grabbing onto the wall to keep from falling. "-as bad as I am, it's still kind of fun. And Daisy loves it." 

"Come on. Get off the wall," Adrien said, pulling Casey away from her support. 

"No, no, no, no. This is a bad idea," she protested. 

"No it's not. I'm helping you skate," Adrien stated. 

"Say cheese!" Daisy called, taking a quick picture as Adrien pulled Casey further away from the wall. 

"You two are trying to embarrass me," Casey said, letting her brother pull her along. 

Adrien coached Casey as they made their way around the rink. There were quite a few slips and falls, though they both laughed them off. Casey started to get the hang of it. She was still a little wobbly, but she no longer relied on the wall to keep her off her butt. Daisy took quite a few pictures, though Casey managed to convince her to let someone take a picture of all three of them by the wall. 

"Hey, Adrien!" 

Casey and Adrien paused in their lap to look for who had called his name. Adrien spotted none other than Chloe, coming towards them. He was a little shocked. Chloe wasn't really one for...common places. She gave him a quick hug. 

"It's been forever since I've seen you," she stated. "How have you been?" 

"I've been alright," Adrien answered. "Chloe, this is my big sister, Casey. Casey, this is Chloe." 

"Nice to meet you," Casey said, extending her hand. 

Chloe gave it a firm shake. "It's nice to finally meet you. I've been hearing a lot about you." 

"So has everyone," Casey sighed. "So, you're one of Adrien's friends?" 

"Yeah. We've known each other since we were little," Chloe answered. "I would've stopped by, but I figured you needed some space to get adjusted. That and I have no clue where you live now." 

Adrien let out a chuckle. "Yeah, we've been trying to lay low." 

"Incoming!" Daisy shrieked, skating around the bend towards them. 

Casey reached out and grabbed Daisy around the stomach. She managed to dig her heels into the ice enough to keep them from falling over. 

"What are you doing?" Casey asked. "You know better than to skate that fast." 

"Chloe, this is Daisy," Adrien piped. "She's our little sister." 

"We've got a slight problem," Daisy stated, ignoring her sister's reprimand and the introduction.

"What qualifies as a slight problem?" Casey inquired. 

"Well...There are some fangirls trying to get inside. Apparently someone posted about us being here on instagram," she explained. 

Casey pursed her lips and took a deep breath. "Guess that means it's time to go." 

"Do you need some help?" Chloe asked. "I could get you out of here." 

"Appreciate it," Casey replied, pulling Daisy and Adrien off of the ice. "I don't know which is worse. The fangirls or the paparazzi." 

"Is there much difference?" Daisy deadpanned. 

Casey had perfected her quick getaway routine. It only took them a minute to get their skates returned and ready to bolt out the door. Chloe had called her driver and instructed him to pull up as close to the building as he could. Daisy had volunteered to go out and find a clear path, which Casey quickly shot down. 

"You are not going out there by yourself," Casey stated firmly. "There's no guarantee you can get back inside and you could get lost in that crowd." 

"But-" 

"Not happening. We can wait for the car here." 

"He's pulling in now," Chloe piped. "He's right there." 

They saw where Chloe was pointing. A posh silver car was pulling up behind the crowd of fangirls. Casey couldn't help but smirk. What was it with rich people and silver cars? 

"Daisy, don't let got of my hand," Casey ordered, focusing on the task at hand. 

"I'm not a baby," Daisy replied. She tightened her grip on Casey's hand nonetheless. 

"Adrien, when you get in the car, stay in it," she continued. "Let me handle anything that might get left behind." 

He nodded quickly. "I'll try not to drop anything." 

Chloe led them outside. Sure enough, the crowd swarmed towards them. Luckily, Adrien and Chloe got into the car before they could get surrounded. He saw Daisy begin to struggle as some girls noticed her camera and started to try and mob her for any photos she might have. Casey shot them baleful glares that got them to quickly back off. Adrien was glad Casey never used a look like that on him. Daisy scooted into the back and hugged Adrien, staring fearfully out the window. Casey took the passenger seat in the front and kept glaring at the crowd through the window. 

"Are you okay?" Adrien asked. 

Daisy shook her head. "They tried to take my camera. They pulled really hard." 

"Jackasses," Casey growled. "The whole lot of them." 

Adrien pulled her closer. She was stiff and wouldn't pull her eyes away from the window. The further they got from the ice rink, the more she relaxed, but she was still really spooked. Casey gave the driver directions to Felice and Josue's house. 

"I guess that's not normal for you," Chloe said, picking at her nails. "It's kind of intimidating isn't it?" 

Daisy nodded. "They're jackasses." 

"Just make sure not to say that within earshot of a reporter," Adrien advised. 

"They don't pay attention to me," Daisy replied. "You and Casey are the ones they're interested. They don't even know I exist." 

"Let's hope it stays that way," Casey said, turning back to face them. "You're way too young to be dealing with that shit." 

"Could we please watch the language?" Chloe requested. 

"Sorry. I can have a nasty sailor's mouth," Casey replied. 

"And I picked it up from her," Daisy added. 

"You just keep throwing me under the bus, don't you?" Casey stated, feigning offense. "See if I ever share my soda with you again." 

"I hope you don't pick up too many of those words," Chloe interjected, turning to Adrien. 

"It's a little late for that," Adrien admitted. 

"Get him pissed off and he'd probably swear the most out of all of us." 

"Look who's throwing who under the bus now," he said, sticking his tongue out at Casey. 

"Real mature, Adrien," Daisy commented sarcastically. 

"Says you." 

"I'm an adorable little girl. I can get away with it." 

"Weren't you just telling me you weren't a baby?" Casey asked. 

"There's a difference between little girl and baby," Chloe interjected. "Babies are helpless, meanwhile, little girls can get their parents wrapped around their fingers without them even knowing." 

"So Daisy's a sly little manipulator? That sounds about right," Casey replied with a shrug. 

"Hey!" Daisy protested. "Don't pretend you won't resort to bribing people. You're no saint." 

"Did I ever say I was?" 

Pretty soon, they dropped Daisy off with Felice. Casey took a moment to explain what happened when Felice noticed a bit of a burn rash from Daisy's camera strap. After assurances from both girls that Daisy was fine, Felice calmed down. She gave Adrien a quick hug before Chloe drove him and Casey back to the apartment. Chloe came inside, just to see what it was like. Adrien saw her struggle to not roll her eyes at Casey's quaint, little home. She really had been getting better at trying to be more respectful towards people. 

"Your sisters seem like good people," Chloe stated. "They're a little rough, but they're good." 

Adrien smiled. "I'm glad that I have them. Thanks for helping us out of the ice rink. They're both still getting used to dealing with things like that." 

"Casey seems to be handling it well." 

"She's been taking the brunt of it from the whole deal with... our father." 

"You don't have to explain," Chloe replied. "You know, you've got everyone in the class ready to support you if you ever need to reach out." 

"You sure about that? I feel like I'm still dealing with backlash from Lila's little cheating rumor." 

Chloe gave him a pat on the shoulder. "They've forgotten about it for the time being." 

"Until Lila stirs it up again." 

"Well, you've got another month to get ready to deal with it. Who knows? Maybe those sisters of yours will set Lila straight. They seem like the intelligent type." 

"Daisy's already punched her," Adrien replied. "Knocked the wind out of her." 

Chloe's eyes widened. "I would pay to see that." 

"She'd do it again. I think Daisy already hates her and Casey thinks she's despicable." 

"Casey's met her too?" 

"Before we knew we were related," Adrien explained. "Or, at least before I knew." 

"Liking these English girls more and more," Chloe commented. 

"Technically, I'm French," Casey called from the kitchen. 

"Well, I should get back home. I'll see you soon, Adrien," Chloe said. "Call if you need anything." 

"Thanks, Chloe," Adrien replied. 

The two exchanged a quick hug and Adrien saw Chloe out the door. He and Chloe had drifted apart when he started school. He hadn't wanted to, they were just going in opposite directions. Ever since Zombizou and being given a chance as Queen Bee, she'd been growing. Sometimes, she could still be a little rude or nasty towards people, but progress was progress. He hoped that he could begin to be best friends with her again.


	3. First Session

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien and Casey meet Ms. Berger, and have some opinions on therapy that they keep to themselves (mostly).

Was Casey excited to start therapy? Not in the slightest. Did she think she needed it? Depended on when you asked her. She only signed up because Felice and Evelyn had been telling her that given how flighty she could be and how easily it was to set her off these days, she needed to seek some professional help, especially after all that had happened with Gabriel. She only agreed to it because they told her she needed to have a handle on her mental health for Adrien's sake. She tried not to show her distaste for the idea in front of Adrien, considering that she had been ordered by the court to take him to his own therapy session to help him process all of the sudden changes in his life. Solomon accompanied them, mostly so that he could take Adrien home after his session and he didn't have to wait for Casey. Casey schooled her expression to be neutral as she took a seat in the front room. She gave Adrien an encouraging smile as he went in to meet the therapist. 

Adrien was a little nervous. He had never considered that he might actually need therapy. If anything, he'd been trying not to dwell on all of the changes happening around him and all that happened. If he got bogged down by it he might make Casey think he didn't appreciate all that she was doing for him. So, meeting a therapist was the exact opposite of what he wanted. Casey had told him that she'd be taking her own therapy sessions, so he wasn't alone and that he didn't have to talk to her about anything that happened in there with her unless he absolutely wanted to. Still, Adrien couldn't help but feel like he was being ungrateful if he dwelt too much on the negative. 

The room was pretty small. There was a couch with an arm chair across it and a small table between them. The room was bathed in warm light. A woman stood up to meet Adrien when he entered the room. She had dark, brown hair with grey streaks and rectangular glasses. She had a very thin, wiry frame and a few wrinkles on her face. She was dressed in a black pencil skirt and a white blouse. 

"Hello," she said, extending her hand. "You must be Adrien. I'm Ms. Berger." 

"Hi," he replied, shaking her hand. "Nice to meet you." 

"Would you like to sit down?" 

She directed him to the couch and took a seat in the armchair. 

"So, Adrien, we have fifty minutes," Ms. Berger stated. "Tell me a little bit about yourself." 

"Well...I like school and fencing," Adrien replied. "I like anime and manga. I've got a lot of friends. Nino, he's my best friend, is a DJ. He makes really great music. Marinette's a fashion designer, and she kicks my butt at UMS III. Alya runs the ladyblog, Luka has a band with a lot of my other friends called Kitty Section. Sometimes I got to play with them, it really depended on if my father would let me..." 

Adrien faltered. He didn't want to talk about Gabriel. _Focus on the positive. Focus on the positive._ He repeated the mantra in his head.

"Continue. I'm listening," Ms. Berger prompted, making small notes. "What are some of your other friends like?" 

"I fence with Kagami," Adrien continued. "She's great. She definitely beats me when it comes to fencing. They all helped me move in with Casey the other day. It was great having their help. We had a friendly debate about the best kind of soda." 

"Sounds like an interesting debate." 

"My sisters and I all said it was cidona. Kagami, Luka and Marinette picked orangina. Everyone else picked something different, so we were stuck with a tie. That's usually how they end." 

"So, they made the move-in with your sister less stressful?" 

Adrien nodded. "I mean...I wouldn't have called it stressful. Sure, there was a lot to do and we've still got some boxes to unpack and I'm still getting used to it, but I was really excited to move in with Casey." 

"Are you still excited about living with her?" 

"Yeah. Last night she even sat down and watched one of my movies with me," Adrien replied. "Even if wasn't something she liked, she sat down and gave it a try. It was great having her want to know about the things I like." 

That was what the therapy session was like. Ms. Berger didn't really ask a lot of questions. She sat back and listened, sometimes took notes and asked questions to prompt Adrien whenever he paused for a long while. He thought he did a good job of staying on the positive topics. It seemed like she was just getting to know him. There were some times where Adrien would pause after remembering something his father would always do, or whenever he felt he was getting too close to saying something negative. If Ms. Berger noticed, she didn't really let on. When the fifty minutes were up, she walked him back out into the front room where Casey and Solomon were waiting. 

Casey gave him a smile. "You good?" 

"I'm good," Adrien answered. 

"I'll be home when I'm done here," Casey replied. "Solomon's going to take you home. I'll get on dinner when I get back, ok?" 

"Ok. See in an hour." 

Adrien gave Casey a quick hug and left with Solomon. She let out a sigh and followed Ms. Berger into her office. Casey took a seat on the couch and watched as she put away whatever notes she took during Adrien's session in a locked filing cabinet. 

"So," Casey said as Ms. Berger took a seat in the armchair. "How exactly does this work?" 

"Well, why don't you start by telling me about yourself?" Ms. Berger suggested. "After all, I can't help if I don't know you." 

"There's not much to tell. I'm a mechanic from Portsmouth," Casey replied. "I work eight to five every day except Sunday doing what I love and now I get to care for the best little brother I could have asked for." 

"You care about him very much." 

"He's family. Family is first in everything I do." 

"That's a very admirable attitude to have. How long have you known Adrien?" 

"Nine, ten months, give or take. First meeting, he startled me and I banged my head on the hood of a car," Casey said with a chuckle. "He and his friends started hanging out at the garage where I work, I got to know him and then I found out he was my brother." 

"It must have been quite the revelation." 

"You could say that." 

"So why did you choose to fight for custody?" 

"Like I said, family is first in everything I do." 

"And does your father not apply to that?" 

"He's Hawkmoth," Casey snapped. "That disqualifies him from any loyalty I might have given him. Besides, accidentally getting my mom pregnant, does not constitute any kind of familial relationship on my part."

Casey caught Ms. Berger raise her eyebrow as she made a note. Casey bit her tongue. _Ms. Berger was a therapist. It's basically her job to psycho-analyse people._ Still, Casey felt the urge to tell her to stop giving her that look and reading into everything that came out of her mouth. 

"You're glaring an awful lot," Ms. Berger observed. "Would you like to say something? Nothing leaves this room." 

"I'm good," Casey replied, trying to stop scowling. "Just not a fan of psycho-analysis." 

"You think I'm psycho-analyzing you?" 

"You're a therapist. Isn't that what people pay you to do? Analyse and solve their problems?" Casey replied. 

"You have a very narrow view of therapy, Casey," Ms. Berger stated, though there was no hint of offense in her voice. It was just a plain observation. 

"Then broaden it," Casey replied. "Help me understand the joys of having my problems solved by another person." 

"I don't solve your problems. I help you find your own solutions. Is there any particular reason you're here, if you don't like being 'psycho-analysed', as you put it?" 

"I'm here for my brother," Casey said firmly. "Being forced to go to therapy by the court isn't exactly reassuring." 

"There are other ways you could have supported him. You chose to put yourself through something you clearly detest, just for your brother." 

"Gabriel was cold, neglectful, and somehow the most toxic parent I've ever met. I intend to be the exact opposite of that, give Adrien everything he needs from me." 

"And how is that going to affect you? If you're his endless pillar of support, then who is yours?" 

"Not important," Casey replied, shifting her gaze away from the therapist. "Look, I've got a handle on my problems. I can take whatever else comes at me just because I decided to do something people disagree with. I fought the lawyers, I'm fighting the paparazzi and I'll fight anything else that decides to shove its nose into our lives." 

There wasn't much else to Casey's first session. She tried very hard to not get irritated with Ms. Berger. Casey had made the choice to go to therapy. She couldn't lash out at the woman for doing the job she was paid to do. Casey tried not to say too much that could be taken to have an underlying meaning. She stayed concise and clear. The fifty minutes seemed to stretch on forever. Casey was more than happy when it was finally over. She had a feeling Ms. Berger would start to hate her after another two sessions. 

Casey took the bus home, wanting a bit of time to clear her head. She texted Adrien, let him know she was on her way. He replied with a quick acknowledgement and said that he and Solomon were playing some video games. She let out a small smile and sent back another text, telling Adrien to kick Solomon's ass. If she could text her little brother, go home and see him smiling because he was surrounded with love, then no price was too great for her. If it meant that Adrien would feel more comfortable with going to therapy for her to be there too, she'd do it, no matter how much she hated it. 

Her phone started buzzing and Felice's contact photo popped up. Casey answered as soon as she saw the photo. 

"Hey, Aunt Felice," Casey said calmly. 

"Hey. Just wanted to see how you and Adrien were doing after your first therapy session," Felice stated. "You don't have to tell me anything you talked about." 

"Adrien's at home with Solomon," Casey replied. "I'm on my way home now. Therapy was...nice." 

Casey's voice tightened around the word 'nice'. That was not how she would describe her experience. But, if it made Felice feel better...

"Well, I'm glad you're giving it a go. If you want, next time, I can give you a ride home." 

"You don't have to. I don't mind taking the bus." 

"Well, if you ever change your mind, just give me a call," Felice replied. "Josue was talking to me about a problem car that's in the garage." 

"Yeah. An old Beetle. That thing is _beat up_ ," Casey said, her mind flashing to the piece of junk lying in the Garage. "It needs so many new parts. New brake pads, new battery, new spark plugs, new air filters, new AC rotor, new muffler and don't get me started on the alignment and the suspension on that thing. They. Are. Terrible. Plus, the undercarriage is _disgusting_. Anyone with any sense would look at that amount of rust and decide to get a new car." 

"You just repeated what Josue told me, word for word." 

"You married a mechanic," Casey pointed out. "And you called your niece, who is a mechanic. Call any other mechanic who's looked at that car and they'll give you the exact same list." 

"I'm sure they would," Felice chuckled. "It sounds like a project that needs a lot of TLC." 

"It's a project that needs to be sent to the scrap yard," Casey deadpanned. 

"You've done more for a restoration," Felice stated. 

"I think you're misremembering details of the cars we've restored, because even Josue knows when a car is unsalvageable." 

"Did you tell that to the client?" 

"We tried," Casey answered. "But the guy is an idiot. An overly sentimental idiot who knows shit when it comes to car maintenance and repairs." 

Felice stayed on the phone with Casey until she reached her stop. Casey finished her journey home and found Adrien in the middle of an UMS III match with Solomon. The poor man was being destroyed by Adrien. Casey quickly announced her arrival, gave Solomon a quick tip, then went to go make dinner.


	4. A Big Discussion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette and Adrien have a long overdue chat. ADRIENETTE! Casey and Adrien have a small conversation about Gabriel

Monday morning was pretty quiet for Marinette. Everything these past few weeks had been quiet for Marinette. With no akumas, Ladybug and Chat Noir were not really needed as much. Master Fu had told her that she and Adrien should keep their Miraculous, that the world could use strong heroes, even if Hawkmoth was no longer a threat. She had no idea what she was going to do with her sudden abundance of time. Obviously she was still working on commissions, sometimes getting a little help from Alya, and Master Fu was still training her to become a guardian, but there was still so much more free time. If it was weird for her, she had to wonder how weird it was for Adrien. He had more freedom than ever. More than just freedom, he had a new home, almost a completely different life. Marinette glanced at a picture of her and Adrien hanging out at the park. Ever since the fight with Hawkmoth, they really hadn't gotten a chance to talk privately. She wasn't entirely sure where they stood. They were still friends, obviously, but Marinette wondered if maybe they wanted to be more than friends. She wondered, but she certainly wasn't going to ask. That would be horribly insensitive to the transition he was going through. For all she knew, he wasn't in a space where he could consider getting into a relationship. 

"Earth to Marinette," Tikki said, lightly tapping her on the cheek. 

Marinette flinched. "Sorry, what were you asking, Tikki?" 

"I wasn't asking anything," Tikki replied. "But you've been staring at that same design for fifteen minutes without doing anything. Is something on your mind?" 

"I was just thinking about Adrien," Marinette answered. "We haven't really gotten a time to talk about everything since Mr. Agreste got arrested." 

"Do you want to talk to him?" Tikki asked. 

"Well, yeah," she admitted. "But I don't want to push him into something he isn't in a good place for." 

"How will you know if he's ready if you don't ask? If he's not ready then you can step back and be there to support him. If he is, then you could move forward." 

Marinette glanced over at her phone. "Are you sure it's a good idea, Tikki?" 

"Communication is the key to any healthy relationship, no matter its nature." 

Marinette debated her options. Tikki waited patiently for her to decide. Finally, Marinette decided to pick up her phone. 

Adrien was sitting in the Garage while Josue and Casey worked on their problem project. Casey kept telling Josue they should just call the owner and tell him that his car was unfixable. The older mechanic, while he agreed the beetle was trash, refused to quit. 

"We are getting paid to fix this car," he stated. "So we will fix it." 

"It's a dead piece of junk that needs to go in a scrapyard," Casey argued, but continuing her work anyways. 

"I don't disagree with your assessment-" 

"But you still want to fix it up," Casey finished with a groan. "This thing hasn't got a week of life left in it." 

"Just work," Josue replied. 

Adrien had never seen the two of them so frustrated with a car. They put it on the lift to look under and Josue let out a swear word that he quickly forbid Casey and Adrien from ever using. Casey looked under the car with him and made a horrified face. 

"This looks even worse when fully lit," Casey remarked. "You still want to attempt this?" 

"As...deplorable as this is, I will not be deterred," Josue said firmly. 

"What's it look like under there?" Adrien inquired. 

"It's a mechanic's worst nightmare," Casey answered. 

"She is not wrong," Josue replied. 

"I'm going to do something I've never done and go put on a mask and gloves," Casey stated. "No amount of vaccines can protect you from tetanus _that_ bad." 

"I agree," Josue said, stepping away from the car. "I'll get the masks, you get the gloves." 

As the two went to find the said items, Adrien's phone buzzed.

**Marinette: Hey. I was wondering if we could meet to talk. We haven't really gotten to talk about everything**

"Hey, Casey, can I go meet Marinette?" Adrien asked. 

"Fine by me," Casey answered. "Keep your phone with you. If you run into trouble and I can't answer, call Solomon or Aunt Felice." 

"Will do," Adrien replied. "Love you, Casey." 

"Love you, too. Be safe." 

Adrien popped up from his seat and started making his way down the street. He shot a quick response to Marinette. 

**Adrien: Sure. Meet at your place?**

**Marinette: Yup**

The walk to Marinette's place was relatively quiet. No paid much attention to Adrien as he walked by. He got to the bakery and was welcomed warmly by Tom and Sabine. They directed him up to Marinette's room. Marinette was huddled over her desk, drawing in her sketchbook. Adrien knocked on the trapdoor into her room, causing her to look up. She set her sketchbook to the side and gave him her full attention. 

"Hey," she said. 

"Hey," Adrien replied. "You said you wanted to talk." 

"Yeah. About...some of the stuff that happened when we were dealing with your dad," Marinette replied. 

"Oh..." 

"Not anything about what happened in the lair and stuff," she quickly assured him. "I mean about the whole secret identities thing and such." 

"Oh. Um...sure." 

Adrien took a seat on her chaise, while Marinette stayed in her desk chair. There was a bit of silence between the two of them. Tikki and Plagg decided to give them some privacy and float up to the balcony. Adrien was grateful for it. This conversation was bound to be awkward enough without Plagg teasing him. 

"So...I just wanted to ask where we stood," Marinette said. "I mean, we're still friends, obviously. What I mean is...do we want to be more than friends?" 

Adrien felt his cheeks heat up. "Well, do _you_ want to be more than friends?" 

"Well...I've sort of been, crushing on you at school," she admitted. "See...remember the Glaciator debacle?" 

Adrien knew what she was referring to. His failed attempt at a romantic date and she had told him that she'd had feelings for another boy...

"Wait a sec, the other boy you were talking about was _me_?" 

Marinette gave him a nod. "Kinda funny looking back on it." 

"I got stuck in a love triangle with myself. Wow..." 

"Love square, actually," Marinette stated. "I had this whole discussion with Tikki. Don't ask." 

Adrien let out a chuckle. "Just my luck." 

"Look, I get it if we need to save this for another time. I mean, you're going through a lot and I don't want you to feel pressured into any kind of relationship that you're not ready for," Marinette rambled. "I mean, you had the move and there's still all the fall out you and Casey are dealing with and this was probably a really bad idea-" 

"Marinette," Adrien interrupted. "It wasn't a bad idea to want to talk about it. I'm really grateful that you're trying to be aware of what's going on with me. I think...maybe we should talk about how we want to go forward with this."

"I want to know if you're comfortable with being more than friends," Marinette replied. "Because I can wait if you're not, or if you just want to stay friends and not consider any kind of romantic relationship." 

"Marinette, you are one of the best people I know," Adrien stated. "You are kind, clever, creative, incredibly positive and forgiving and just...wonderful, and you're _Ladybug_ , which I feel kind of blind for not noticing sooner because you are literally everything Ladybug is and it should have been the most obvious thing in the world because no one else could come close to as amazing as you." 

Marintte's cheeks flushed bright pink and she gave him a small smile. "You're not the only one who feels blind. If I'd been paying attention, it would have been obvious that you were Chat Noir. You act a lot like Chat Noir around Nino and your sisters." 

"And...I've been in love with you since Stoneheart," Adrien replied. "I mean...you were the most beautiful person I'd ever seen when you released all those butterflies." 

"I don't know about that," Marinette mumbled. 

"You _were_. You stood up and told everyone we would protect them with confidence and grace all on our first akuma attack." 

"I'll admit, if I hadn't been in love with you as a civilian, I might have given Chat Noir a chance." 

"So...you fell in love with me too?" 

Marinette gave a small nod. "Remember when you gave me your umbrella after your first day?" 

"Yeah. I thought you were going to hate me for the entire school year for the gum incident." 

"Well...You were so sincere and kind. I just kind fell for you," Marinette said with an embarrassed shrug. "And just getting to know you made me fall harder." 

There was another moment of silence as they both processed what the other had said. As Adrien wrapped his mind around what Marinette had said about him, he found himself falling for her even more. She was his partner, his best friend, the best girl in the world. And she loved him. It wasn't just some superficial fangirl crush. The more he thought about it, the more he fell for her. It was like a dream come true. 

"So...what how do we want to go forward?" Marinette asked. "I mean, do you want to be more?" 

"Yeah," Adrien answered. "Yeah, I really want to be more. Do you want to be more?" 

Marinette nodded. "I would really like that." 

"So if I asked you on a date, would you say yes?" 

Marinette gave him a small smile. "Yes, I would." 

"Then, Marinette, would you like to go on a date with me?" 

"I would love to go on a date with you, Adrien."

Adrien and Marinette spent the rest of their time playing video games and just hanging out. Marinette schooled Adrien at UMS, because of course she did. She lived and breathed UMS. Tikki and Plagg eventually came back down from the balcony and provided running commentary on their matches, well, Plagg did. Tikki tried to get him to stop distraccting them. Eventually, Adrien had to head back home. 

"So...I'll call you later and we can figure out what to do for a date," Adrien said, rubbing the back of his neck. 

"Yeah, that sounds like a plan," Marinette replied. "Be safe walking home." 

Marintte gave him a small kiss on the cheek, which made Adrien's face turn bright red. Marinette's face was just as red and she had a small smile. Adrien walked home in a bit of a haze. He was going over everything he and Marinette had talked about and the fact that he had a _date_ . How could he have gotten that lucky? Casey noticed that he was on cloud nine as soon as he walked into the apartment. 

"Have a good time at Marinette's?" Casey asked. 

Adrien nodded. "I think I've got a girlfriend." 

Casey looked away from what she was cooking and gaped at Adrien. "Wait. You can't just drop a bombshell like that. Sit down. Give me some details. Are you and Marinette a thing?" 

Casey's excitement rubbed off on Adrien. He sat down and started detailing how they talked and then how he'd asked her out. Casey squealed like a school girl upon hearing that they planned on having an actual date. She listened intently as he continued to talk about what he and Marinette did while they were hanging out. Then he told her about the goodbye kiss. 

"Aw, she kissed your cheek," Casey cooed. "That is adorable." 

"So...you're okay with this?" 

"I am more than okay with it," Casey assured him. "Just try and keep the dating on the down low for a little bit. At least until everything with the media is at a more manageable level. Something tells me Marinette might not be ready for something like that." 

Adrien nodded. The conversation dropped at that, though he could tell Casey was happy for him. As he looked around the kitchen, he noticed some letters from the lawyers prosecuting Gabriel. 

"Have you heard anything about the trial?" He asked, keeping his voice toneless. 

"They're having it in three weeks. Haven't heard much else. If we're lucky, we won't be called on to testify as civilians." 

"You think all three of us will have to testify?" 

"Probably. They're bringing in a lot of witnesses from what the lawyers have told me," Casey replied. "Almost every person that's ever been akumatized. So, we'll need to be incredibly careful if they want our Miraculous ID's at the stand." 

"Do you think he might try to out us?" 

Casey glanced over at Adrien and noticed that his gaze fell to the floor. "I think, if Gabriel wanted to try something like that, he would've already done it. And, despite my mixed feelings regarding him, I don't think he'd want to potentially put you in danger by revealing our identities." 

"Are you sure?" 

"I can't be completely sure without talking to him," Casey admitted. "And, even if he's unstable, he does care about you in some...genuine, unhealthy way." 

"You don't think he cares about you." 

"He's made it abundantly clear how he feels about me multiple times, and you don't need to dwell on that. I don't need or want his affection." 

Casey handed him a plate and sat across from him. She quickly changed the subject from the trial and what Gabriel could do with the knowledge of their identities to something lighter. She asked him if he had any ideas about his date with Marinette and if he was excited to start school in a month. Adrien appreciated the change in topic. It made him feel normal. He answered all of Casey's questions and listened when she gave him ideas or input on how to deal with some people. It was nice having her give him her attention and asking him questions. He felt seen. He felt loved.


	5. Modeling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Casey gets a call way too early in the morning and has a talk with Adrien. Adrien and Josue tease Casey a little. Casey has a heated phone call after work.

Casey woke up pretty early the next morning, mostly due to the fact that her phone was ringing. Who called someone at six in the morning in the summer? Casey yawned and answered. 

"This is Casey, Barbereau," she said sleepily. 

"Hello, Ms. Barbereau," a nervous young man said. "I'm one of the interns for your father's fashion company and was instructed to call you regarding Adrien's modeling schedule." 

"And you decided to call at six in the morning?" Casey replied. "I haven't even had a cup of coffee." 

"Sorry, Ms. Barbereau. They wanted to contact you before you went to work." 

"Alright, fine. What exactly does the company want?" Casey asked, making her way to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. 

"Well, the fall line is scheduled to be released in three months. Naturally, Adrien is our top model. The brand requires him to model the main articles. We have a schedule printed with twenty shoots, give or take, depending on how weather works out and how he works with his partner. The all take place before he has to go back to school, of course." 

"Twenty shoots?!" 

"Yes, much less than previous lines. And there are fifteen more that will take place after his first week of school." 

"I'm sorry, you want him to do thirty five photo shoots in the span of three months?" Casey asked, trying to keep her annoyance out of her voice. 

_Don't take it out on the intern_. She chanted the phrase to herself over and over. 

"Well, it might be more, taking into consideration the possible reshoots he could have to do. And there are the fashion shows he'll have to do at the debut of the line, which well be on the schedule." 

"Just let me clarify something," Casey interrupted. "Given this schedule, how much time does that give Adrien to be a kid?" 

"I'm afraid I don't understand the question." 

"How much time does he have where he is not in school and not at a photo shoot or a fashion show?" 

Casey heard the intern muttering to himself as he typed away at his computer. 

"According to the schedule we have drafted, Adrien would have five hours a week, not accounting for whatever extra-curriculars you involve him in." 

"Five hours? He's fourteen!" Casey exclaimed, before taking a deep breath. "Alright, here's what I want you to do. I want you to tell your boss that he can call me after I get off work. We will have a discussion regarding the schedule and how much Adrien is going to be doing for the company. Thank you for calling, have a nice day." 

With that, Casey hung up and let out a frustrated huff. Five hours of free time a week? Who in their right mind thought that was healthy for a fourteen year old boy? Nevermind the fact that someone thought they could just tell her that Adrien was going to keep modeling despite the fact that their father was going on trial for being _a terrorist_. Did someone at that place just happen to forget that little detail or did they just not care? 

"Casey?" 

Casey saw Adrien, Tali and Plagg standing in the doorway to the kitchen. Adrien looked like he just woke up. She internally cringed. Had she accidentally woken him up when she snapped? Oh, she hoped not. The three of them were looking at her with concerned gazes. 

"Is everything ok?" Adrien asked. 

Casey gave him a quick nod. "Yeah. Just some things that the company wants to talk about." 

"Oh. Is it about modeling?" 

"Yeah, it's about the modeling," Casey replied with a sigh. "I'll be honest, I don't like it one bit. The last place you need to be is out in the public eye right now, and they were giving you five hours off for a week." 

"That's actually more than usual," Adrien stated."Father usually had my schedule filled up to the point where I only got three." 

"You mean that's them being _generous_? Oh, I'm going to have serious words with that intern's boss." 

"I can keep modeling," Adrien replied. "I mean...I don't have a problem with it." 

"How much do you want to model?" Casey asked. 

Adrien exchanged a quick glance with Plagg. Sure, modeling wasn't the worst thing in the world, but it tired Adrien out and Plagg knew it. It also wasn't something he really enjoyed. He only did it because that was what Gabriel had wanted him to do. That was the case with a lot of things he did. Plagg gave him an encouraging nod. 

"Well, I kind of don't want to," Adrien said, curling in on himself. "But...I might want to go back later..." 

Casey noticed the hesitation in Adrien's answer. She wanted to tell him it was okay to quit entirely, that he wasn't obligated to keep modeling. At the same time, she didn't want to pressure him into making a final decision if he wasn't ready for it. Modeling had basically been his life. She needed to give him some flexibility, some control.

"Ok," she replied. "I'll tell them you won't do the fall line and if you decide you want to keep doing it after everything's settled down, we'll figure it out. But no more weeks where you only get three hours of free time. Why don't you go back to bed." 

Adrien nodded and went back down to his room. Casey stared at her coffee. Her mind was working too much for her to go back to sleep. What all could Gabriel possibly have asked Adrien to do? Who in their right mind asked that much of a kid?! Plagg and Tali settled themselves on the island and stared at Casey. 

"Why would someone put that much on a child?" Casey asked quietly. "It's beyond draining and toxic." 

"You don't know the half of it," Plagg replied. "Most of the time, Adrien's tutors came to the house, so he didn't even get to go outside. That house was essentially a prison." 

"I don't even want to know what kind of emotional expectation he put on Adrien," Casey said, shaking her head. "What is wrong with that man? Why didn't anybody else step in and smack some sense into him?" 

"Would you have done that?" Tali inquired. "Gone up to a man as intimidating as Gabriel and told him was a terrible parent? Especially if he was your boss?" 

"I don't know," Casey admitted. "I'd like to think I would, but at the same time...it would be pretty scary. Were reshoots pretty common? The intern said there could be a lot of those." 

"More recently," Plagg replied. "Mostly because of Sausage Hair." 

The kwami spit out the nickname as if it were a rotten piece of food. Casey could hear his voice dripping with resentment. She never thought she'd ever hear a kwami sound so hateful towards somebody. 

"Mind elaborating on Sausage Hair?" 

"Rossi," Plagg growled. 

"Not her," Tali grumbled. 

" _She models with Adrien_?" 

Plagg gave her a nod. Casey recalled one conversation she and Adrien had regarding Lila. It was just after she'd met Nino and Alya. He talked about the girl being touchy and making him uncomfortable. Casey felt a surge of indignation. 

"Why is she allowed anywhere near him?" Casey growled. "You can't seriously be telling me Gabriel would be oblivious to her behavior around him." 

"Gabriel made her Adrien's partner in the first place," Plagg stated. "Had her spy on Adrien at school too." 

Tali noticed Casey's death glare. "Uh oh. I know that face..." 

"I've got some strong words for that man," Casey hissed. "As if he wasn't terrible enough. I have half a mind to march down to the prison and wake him up just so I can yell at him." 

"Easy, Feather Head," Plagg replied. "As much as I would love to help you and maybe Cataclysm him, that's not the best course of action to take. Just because there's no more akumas doesn't mean you can let your emotions run wild." 

Casey took a few deep breaths. She was glad she was no longer saturated in magic, because that outburst would probably have caused a whirlwind big enough to trash her kitchen. Plagg and Tali waited for her scowl to lessen and for her nostrils to stop flaring. 

"I hope that man rots in prison," Casey stated, taking a swig of coffee. 

"You and me both," Plagg replied. 

When the time came for Casey to finally go down to the Garage, she let her work distract her from the headache she knew she would get when she dealt with whoever called her when she got off. The beetle gave Casey something to take out her frustration on. It was nice imagining corroded wires in the engine as Gabriel and pulling them out to throw away violently. If Josue noticed, he didn't mention it. He knew better than to ask Casey about things that pissed her off while she was taking her anger out on something. Her attitude improved greatly when Adrien joined them in the Garage and started asking her questions. Plagg and Tali sat on Adrien's legs, watching as Casey worked. 

"So, is it coming together?" Adrien asked. "It looks better." 

"Coming together is a little strong," Casey replied. "It's looking less like it belongs in a scrapyard. Still a trash car, but it's slightly less trashy." 

"That's pretty optimistic," Josue stated. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say this car was growing on you." 

"Please," Casey scoffed. "I just hate it less." 

"How is that any different?" Tali asked with a teasing tone.

"You know, once it's all fixed up, it'll probably look like a really nice car," Adrien commented.

Casey stepped back and looked at it from Adrien's angle. "I could see it looking decent. Maybe put on a fresh coat of paint. It'd look good with a nice, dark blue, don't you think?" 

Adrien nodded. "Yes! That sounds awesome!" 

"Adrien keep talking," Josue piped with a teasing smirk ."You're making her _like_ it." 

Casey picked up one of her rags and tossed it at Josue's face. "I don't like it. I just happen to think that if it wasn't trash, it'd look nice if it were blue." 

"Whatever you say, l'oie." 

Josue winked at Adrien before quickly getting back to work. Adrien noticed that Casey was a little less irritated with the car when he asked questions and made comments about it. Maybe he was making her like it, just a little. 

"Stop smirking," Casey said, pointing a finger at Adrien. "I don't like the car." 

"Whatever you say, Feather Head," Plagg replied. 

Casey's rag came flying, hitting Plagg and Tali. The two kwamis spouted fake indignation at Casey's antics. The day passed quickly. Adrien felt that time moved faster in the Garage. Obviously, he was just enjoying himself, so it felt like it passed quickly, but a part of him joked that the Garage was magic and time actually did move faster there. As soon as they got into the apartment Casey's phone started ringing. He heard her grumble as she answered the phone. 

"Casey Barbereau," she said, keeping her voice even. 

Adrien went to his room, not wanting to eavesdrop in on the call. He trusted that Casey would honor what they'd decided upon and that the people in charge of the company would be understanding. He settled on his bed with a manga. Plagg rested on the windowsill, sleeping in a little bed that Marinette had made for him. Everything seemed fine until Adrien heard Casey's voice rising. 

"Look, the decision has been made," she stated. "Adrien will not be returning to modeling. I expect you to understand that the past few weeks have been stressful and that I will not add to it by forcing him to model....Really? Gabriel Agreste being outed as Hawkmoth has damaged the company's image? Wow, I had no idea." 

"I have a feeling that conversation is not going well," Plagg commented, opening one of his eyes. 

"You think I should just agree to it?" Adrien asked. "It might make things easier." 

Plagg shook his head. "Kid, you made your decision. It's their problem if they don't like it. Your sister can handle it. She's made of steel." 

"Let me make this clear, from what I've heard, I have several problems with how this company has been monopolizing my brother's time," Casey said sharply. "I don't care that our father was the one running the company, it is flat out unhealthy, and you're asking him to continue doing it in a very jarring transition. So, find yourself another model, because our answer is final. If he decides to return to modeling, I will let you know, but I couldn't care less about what the company needs. The company is not my priority, my brother is." 

Casey stopped talking, probably listening to the other person's response. Adrien peeked out of his room and saw her pacing with her phone in the living room. As she continued to listen, her scowl grew. Adrien flinched at how similar her expression was to Gabriel's. 

"That is shady and you know it," Casey snarled. "I don't care what Gabriel was doing under the table to somehow get it to work, but it stops with me. Second, I know exactly what you're implying by saying that and just know that contrary to what you think, being a mechanic does not make me an idiot. This conversation is over. You are not to contact me or my brother. Have a good day." 

Casey put her phone on the coffee table, then kicked the couch, which must have hurt because she let out a slight ow. Tali floated by her head, giving her soothing words and getting her to breathe. Eventually, Casey dropped onto the couch and started rubbing her temples. Adrien made his way out to the living room and knocked on the door frame. Casey glanced over at him and gave him a strained smile. 

"How much of that did you hear?" Casey asked as he sat next to her. 

"From the time it sounded like they tried to argue with your decision to the point where you hung up," Adrien answered. "Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop." 

"It's ok. It's a discussion that involved you. I'll never hold it against you for wanting to know what's going on," Casey assured him. 

"Sounds like some rude things were said," Adrien commented. 

Tali puffed out her cheeks. "More than just rude. Honestly, where does he got off, being able to say such things? I ought to set Plagg on him." 

"What did he say?" 

"Started talking about company image and how losing such a high-profile model would damage their reputation even more. Added in some stuff about how the media was targeting the brand and they're losing profit," Casey answered. "And right as he finished, said 'of course, if we need to discuss this in broader terms for your comprehension we can schedule a meeting. I don't expect you to understand the intricacies that come with a large brand such as Gabriel with the kind of education you have.'" 

Adrien glared at the phone. "Jackass." 

"You're not wrong," Casey replied. "I was half-tempted to call him that myself. And some of the stuff he said to justify the hours they made you work almost got me to start letting loose on the swear words." 

"So, are they going to call again?" he asked. 

Casey shook her head. "I think I made our decision pretty clear. If they try to call you, let me know, ok?" 

"I will." 

Casey ruffled his hair. "Alright, I'm gonna go shower and then get started on dinner. How do you feel about spaghetti?" 

"Sounds good," Adrien replied. "Can I help make dinner?" 

"Sure. You can help me make some garlic bread."


	6. Helpful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lila attempts to be friendly with Chloe. Adrien asks Chloe for a little help and Chloe finds that helping others feels pretty good.

Lila was far from happy. Even with Mr. Agreste's arrest and impending trial, she had managed to keep her little side gig as one of his models. It was a nice job. Good hours, nice pay and plenty of time to talk privately with Adrien to get him to listen to her. She was hoping that with the upcoming fall line, she would be around him enough to really get him on her side. After all, he was going through so much. That was bound to make him a little vulnerable. But then that stupid mechanic had to step in! Word had gotten around quickly when people learned Adrien wasn't returning and everyone was of the opinion that she had something to do with the sudden decision. Since when did she have the power to say that Adrien wasn't going to model?! So what if she was Adrien's sister and now guardian? The people running the company should have been able to make her let Adrien model. There had to be something she could say to her, something that would make her bow to Lila's will. 

Lila scoured social media for anything on _Casey Barbereau_. Turns out, she's a fairly private person. Not a huge social media presence. Obviously, her statements to the news regarding her revealing herself as Mr. Agreste's daughter and on her custody case for Adrien popped up, but that didn't exactly help Lila. Lila had to wonder how someone like Adrien, who had all the attention and fame in the world, was related to a nobody like her. Maybe Lila could use that to her advantage. Convince Adrien that his sister would never be able to give him what he needed, or what he wanted. She just needed to plant a seed of doubt in Adrien's circle.

Chloe was walking around the mall, browsing through the shops. She had been thinking about changing her style. Maybe switch out her blue eye shadow for something more elegant. As she had been trying to emulate behavior that she saw in Ladybug, to be more like the heroine, she realized that she was...brash, for lack of a better word. She was brash in her words and her appearance. While Chloe knew she was beautiful, her current style choices made her seem like a neon sign instead of a flower or a gemstone that just happened to get peoples' heads to turn. Chloe went into a nearby boutique to look at the kinds of makeup that were available. As she browsed, an unbearable brunette in orange came up to her. 

"Hi, Chloe," Lila said, putting on her 'best' smile. "I saw you browsing and thought we could talk. We never really get to talk to each other." 

"Now why would you want to talk to me?" Chloe asked, uninterested in whatever tale the Italian girl might try to spin. "We're not friends." 

"Well, maybe we could be friends," Lila suggested. "And, might I suggest using this eye shadow? It could really make your eyes pop." 

The eye shadow Lila had selected was a darker, sparkly blue color. 

"Thank you, but that's not really what I'm looking for," Chloe replied cordially. "Unless there's something important you want to talk about Lila, I'd prefer to continue shopping on my own." 

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about Adrien," she said quickly, hoping to keep the blonde's attention. "I'm worried about him." 

"Adrien is fine. I spoke with him just the other day. He was having a lovely day with his sisters." 

"Sisters? I thought he just had the one." 

"Ah yes, well unless you were truly close with him, you wouldn't really know that he had more than one." 

Lila tried to not to bristle at Chloe's dig. Lila knew Adrien well enough. He came from money, he was famous, he was handsome and he was sheltered. He was Lila's ticket to true adoration. 

"Are you sure Adrien is fine?" Lila asked. "I mean, his sister, Casey, seems...controlling. You know, Adrien hasn't really been on social media or in any interviews lately." 

"I've talked to him and his sister about it," Chloe replied curtly. "They decided, mutually, to stay out of the public eye." 

"But he's also not returning to modeling," Lila stated quickly. "He hasn't told you about that, has he?" 

Chloe, while shocked, tried not to let it show. She and Adrien had been texting more frequently, and she felt that they were getting closer. She had a feeling that if he had decided to quit modeling it must have been a very recent decision, otherwise he would have told her. She recalled when he had started modeling and how unsure he was of it. She wasn't sure whether Lila was lying or if she really was telling the truth. Given how slick Lila was when it came to her words, Chloe believed she just spinning another tall tale. 

"What exactly do you want, Lila?" Chloe asked sharply. 

"I'm just concerned for Adrien," Lila replied innocently. "He's been going through so much and this Casey seems like she might not have his best interest at heart." 

Chloe found herself wanting to jump to Casey's defense. She saw how close Adrien had been with Casey and Daisy. He was relaxed around them, he was happy around them. They went out of their way to have fun with him. 

"Casey may not be from a high class and she's certainly new to the kinds of things Adrien deals with," Chloe stated. "But she loves Adrien and Adrien loves her. So you would do best to not discuss things you don't understand. _Especially_ in regards to Adrien's family." 

"So you've met her," Lila guessed. "Interacted with her. You like her." 

"Anyone that's Adrien's friend would like her," Chloe replied. "But...if you're so suspicious of her, then you must not have met her, that or you had a really bad interaction with her, which wouldn't make sense. After all, Casey is welcoming to _all_ of Adrien's friends." 

"What are you implying, Chloe?" Lila asked, her smile becoming more strained. 

"Well, wasn't there a nasty rumor going around that you were being harassed by a mechanic friend of Marinette and Adrien's a few months ago? Of course, I can only assume you meant Casey, after all, she's the only mechanic Adrien knows. So, you must have met her, and she must not have liked you." 

"She just didn't understand the nature of the relationship between Adrien and I." 

"Or, she saw through whatever little ruse you tried to pull and reacted accordingly," Chloe stated, returning to selecting makeup. "Ah, here's what I'm looking for. Excuse me, Lila. I have other things to do that, fortunately, do not involve you." 

Chloe purchased her makeup and left Lila in the boutique. As she walked away, Chloe pulled out her phone and made a quick text to Adrien. 

**Chloe: I bumped into Lila. She says you quit modeling**

**Adrien: I did, just yesterday. The brand called Casey and she asked if I wanted to keep doing it. I told her no, so she told them I wasn't going to model. What did Lila say about it?**

**Chloe: She's trying to make it seem like Casey's forcing you to quit and turn into a hermit**

**Adrien: Not the first time she's lied about Casey. Lila doesn't bug her**

Chloe let a relieved smile spread across her face. So, Lila was telling the truth about Adrien quitting, but it happened just yesterday, so Adrien probably hadn't had the time to tell anybody. 

**Adrien: Chloe, can I ask you for some advice?**

**Chloe: What do you need?**

**Adrien: I've got a date and I'm not entirely sure what we should do**

**Chloe: You have a date?! With who?!**

**Adrien: Marinette**

**Chloe: So she finally asked you out**

**Adrien: I asked her, actually**

**Chloe: When did you start crushing on Duapin-Cheng?**

**Adrien: Long story. Just help me figure out what to do**

**Chloe: I'm on my way over**

Was Chloe surprised that Adrien had asked out Marinette? Just a little. She always expected that Marinette would somehow pluck up the courage and ask him herself. Chloe expected to be bitter about it, but she really wasn't. She _thought _she'd had a crush on Adrien, but it was mostly because they'd been friends for so long and she'd always heard stories of school sweethearts. She kind of just built up the expectation that they'd end up together and tricked herself into thinking she liked him like that. In reality, it was probably best for her and Adrien to stay just friends.__

__Chloe made her way to Casey's apartment. She caught a glimpse of Casey working in the garage under her apartment. Chloe should have guess that Casey worked there. Why else would she pick a spot that is literally right on top of it? Casey saw Chloe coming and gave her a friendly wave._ _

__"So, this is where you work?" Chloe asked._ _

__"Yup. Adrien's up in the apartment," Casey replied. "Coming from the mall?"_ _

__Chloe nodded. "It was time for some shopping."_ _

__"Well, if you guys need anything, feel free to come down. Adrien knows where to find most things."_ _

__When Chloe entered the apartment, she found that the touches of Adrien were a lot more prominent than last time. Both his and Casey's personalities were present in the space. Adrien had some of his manga on a shelf and his mother's record collection was proudly on display. It was balanced out with a small display of model cars and family pictures that were definitely Casey's. Chloe was starting to understand why she was a mechanic. The girl clearly loved cars._ _

__"Adrien!" Chloe called, peeking into the kitchen._ _

__"I'm in my room!" Adrien called back._ _

__Chloe followed his voice. It was a good thing the apartment wasn't too big, or Chloe would have called for Adrien to come and find her. Adrien's room was a lot smaller than his previous room, but given how full of personality it was and how comfortable he was, it seemed that he preferred that it was smaller. Chloe grabbed his desk chair and sat down._ _

__"So, you have a date," Chloe stated. "And you have no clue what to do."_ _

__"Yeah," Adrien replied. "We're supposed to go out on Saturday, but, what do girls like on a date?"_ _

__"Flowers are always a classy way to start," Chloe answered. "And it's Dupain-Cheng. She's a hopeless romantic."_ _

__"Well, at least I know I can get away with being cheesy."_ _

__"Save the cheese for the second date," Chloe replied. "First date is when you sweep a girl off her feet. But don't make it too big of a production or else you'll come off too strong."_ _

__"Maybe a moonlit picnic?" Adrien asked. "Is that a good idea?"_ _

__Chloe did a small clap. "Yes. That is the perfect way to woo someone like Dupain-Cheng. And for good measure, throw in a nice movie after."_ _

__Chloe saw Adrien's brain start to turn with ideas. She considered that a win._ _

__"What kind of flowers should I get?" Adrien asked. "I mean...what does she like? Tulips? Roses?"_ _

__Chloe took a moment to think. She would prefer something like orchids, though Marinette did seem more the tulip type._ _

__"Tulips," Chloe answered. "But don't get a giant bouquet. A smaller one is better for a first date. And whatever you do, do _not_ , for the love of all things holy, use the flirting you learned from anime."_ _

__"Hey! That works!"_ _

__"No, it doesn't. It is cheesy beyond belief. Any other pick-up lines would be better than _that_." _ _

__"I think Marinette would appreciate it."_ _

__"Let her appreciate it on the second date."_ _

__With a little grumbling, Adrien agreed to save all the 'skills' he learned from anime for other dates. With Adrien now feeling secure in coming up with an idea for his date, Chloe leaned back in the desk chair and relaxed. Adrien noticed her shopping bag._ _

__"What'd you get at the mall?" he asked._ _

__"Some new makeup," Chloe answered._ _

__"I thought you had plenty at home," Adrien replied._ _

__"I decided it was time for a change," Chloe explained. "The old makeup just wasn't working for me anymore. I'm growing up, becoming better. I thought my style should reflect that."_ _

__"Makes sense," Adrien said with a shrug. "Do you think I should change my style?"_ _

__"That's your decision to make. Do you want to change it?"_ _

__Adrien looked down at his shirt. "I don't know...things have been changing a lot. I'm not sure if I'm ready to change that much."_ _

__Chloe and Adrien started talking about the benefits of a change in style. It was easy to see that Adrien was on the fence about it. Chloe was careful to not be pushy about it. They ended up talking for a few hours about a lot of different things. Chloe hadn't realized it until she got a text from her father, asking her if she knew when she wanted to come home. She bid a quick goodbye to Adrien and popped into the Garage to say goodbye to Casey. As Chloe was driven home, she felt good. It was nice to help Adrien. She had to wonder if she would feel this good every time she helped someone._ _


	7. Date Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette and Adrien have their date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like this chapter. It's not as full of fluff as I would have liked, but that's okay. I'm still trying to get the hang of writing the romantic stuff. Tips would be appreciated! 
> 
> Next chapter is gonna be Gabriel and Nathalie's trial.
> 
> Also, no updates Fri-Sat, I'll be offline. I'm not sure if I'll be back online in time to post on Sunday, it all depends on how my schedule works out. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy the chapter!

Saturday came and Adrien was pacing in the living room while Casey, Tali, and Plagg watched. Maybe he shouldn't have been nervous, but he was. It was his first date with Marinette. He wanted everything to be perfect, but what if it wasn't? What if they went on the date and then she decided she didn't want to have a relationship with him? Ehat if everything went horribly wrong?! What if-?!

"Adrien," Casey said, interrupting his thoughts. "If you keep pacing like that, you're going to wear through our floor. What's got you so nervous?" 

"I just don't want anything to go wrong," Adrien answered. "And even if everything goes right, what if she decides she doesn't want to be with me?" 

"Ok, stop pacing," Casey replied calmly. "Look at me and take a deep breath." 

Adrien did as Casey instructed. She straightened out his shirt and brushed imaginary dust off of his shoulders and looked over his outfit, which was a pair of nice dress pants and a white dress shirt. Then, she gave him an encouraging smile. 

"Marinette is a sweet girl," Casey stated. "And you are a wonderful boy. You two had a very long conversation about how you feel about each other and you were very sincere. Those feelings aren't going to change in the course of one date. And if something doesn't go according to plan, you can still have a good time. Life works in strange ways. It could become a great little story for you guys to tell. Now, stand up straight. You have everything to be proud of. And give me your best smile." 

Adrien smiled, albeit a little nervously. Casey patted down his hair and turned to Tali and Plagg. The two kwamis nodded in approval. 

"There. You look great," Casey said. She handed him a small bouquet of tulips. "Now, go have fun. Be safe and text me when you're done, ok?" 

"Ok," Adrien replied with a sigh. "Do I look good?" 

"You look great," Casey assured him. "Now get going. You don't want to be late." 

"Unless it's fashionably late," Plagg piped. 

"You can't be fashionably late to a date," Tali replied. "You just end up making your partner wait and then they get nervous." 

"Alright, enough of that," Casey interjected. "Plagg, keep him out of trouble." 

Plagg gave Casey a salute before zipping into Adrien's pocket. Tali and Casey exchanged amused expressions. Before Adrien left, Casey pulled out her phone and took a picture, which Adrien guessed would be sent to Daisy. As he walked to Marinette's house, Plagg was whispering words of encouragement from his pocket. The confidence boost was greatly appreciated. When he got to the Dupain-Cheng household, he was greeted warmly by Sabine and Tom. 

"Marinette is upstairs," Sabine said, pulling him to the couch. "She'll be down in just a minute." 

"It was absolutely wonderful when Marinette told us you were going on a date," Tom added. "Now I hope I don't have to tell you to take good care of my little girl." 

"Of course not, Mr. Dupain," Adrein replied. "I was raised to know how to treat a lady right." 

"Now, Tom, don't go scaring the poor boy," Sabine piped. 

Adrien was thankfully saved from any possible interrogation Tom might start when Marinette came down from her room. Adrien tried hard not to gape. He knew Marinette was beautiful, but in that moment she was _beautiful_. Her dress was a light, pink color that fell to her knees and had a sweetheart neckline. There was intricate embroidering on the skirt, creating a pattern of cherry blossoms. Adrien could tell that she had designed it herself. Her hair was loose, which he thought suited her. She gave him a small smile and Adrien realized he was staring. 

He quickly cleared his throat and offered her the boquet. "These are for you. I thought maybe you liked tulips." 

"Thank you," Marinette replied, taking the flowers. "They're lovely." 

"Let's get a picture of the two of you," Sabine interjected, running to pick up a camera. "I'm sure your sister would love one of the two of you as well, Adrien." 

"Depends on which sister you're talking about," Adrien replied. 

"Oh that's right, you've got a younger sister too," Tom said. 

"Alright, stand right next to each other," Sabine instructed. Marinette and Adrien scooted next to each other and Adrien put his arm around Marinette's shoulder. "Just like that. That's perfect. Now smile." 

Sabine snapped a quick picture and then sent Adrien and Marinette on their way. They were silent for a moment. What were you supposed to talk about on a date? Adrien was at a loss. 

"So, what's the plan?" Marinette asked. "You were very insistent that it be a surprise." 

"I think you'll like it," Adrien replied. "Follow me." 

Adrien had picked the perfect spot. It wasn't too far from Marinette's house and it was pretty secluded. He had asked Chloe to make sure that everything was ready when they got there. He led her to a small, lesser known park with a lot of trees. In the middle of the park, a picnic was set up. Marinette let out a gasp. 

"I figured it would be better than a restaurant," Adrien said. "I mean, I didn't want us to get mobbed while we were on our date." 

"This is wonderful," Marinette replied. 

Adrien beamed at her reaction and led her to the blanket. The basket was filled with some sandwiches, salad, soda and cookies. Adrien had asked Casey for a lot of help when he put it together. The cookies weren't as good as the ones at Tom and Sabine's bakery, but they tasted pretty good. Tikki and Plagg gave them some privacy by digging into their own snacks inside the basket. Once they got over the initial awkwardness of the fact that they were on a date, things started to flow more naturally between Adrien and Marinette. Adrien would admit, he could listen to Marinette talk about her designs all night. She lit up when she talked about any of her projects and he thought it was adorable. Marinette got him to talk about how living with Casey was working out and he started talking about always being in the Garage and being able to get dirty without having to worry and how Casey never made a decision without his input, which led to the topic of him quitting modeling. 

"You quit modeling?" Marinette asked in disbelief. 

Adrien nodded. "It wasn't horrible, it just wasn't something I wanted to keep doing. The guy that called Casey to talk about it wasn't happy with her. He was a real jackass." 

"Well, if it's something that will make you happier, then I say it was a good decision," Marinette replied. "What exactly did he do to earn your wrath?" 

"He implied Casey was an idiot because she's just a mechanic and she didn't go to a university." 

"I already dislike him." 

"I know, right? I think Casey was holding back because she knew I would hear her." 

"So they're not going to try and make you model again?" Marinette asked. 

"No. I think they know I'm done," Adrien answered. "And if they did call again, I think she would borrow Plagg and use a Cataclysm on them." 

"I don't want to know what Casey would do with Cataclysm," Marinette said with a small laugh. "So you're expecting to have a lot of free time during the school year?" 

Adrien nodded. "I'm pretty excited. It'll be nice to be able to have more freedom with where I go."

The picnic was nice. They talked about UMS III, fencing, baking and just about everything they enjoyed. Adrien might have used a few corny pick-up lines that got Marinette to smirk and roll her eyes. He made a note to mention it to Chloe and that he _could_ use them on a first date and succeed. They were having a good time, and then bad luck struck. One minute, the night sky was clear, and then it was covered in clouds. The heavens opened up. It started light enough that Adrien could get everything packed away in the picnic basket, but then it poured. Adrien and Marinette found momentary shelter under a gazebo. They were soaked to the bone. 

"So much for finishing the date with a romantic stroll," Adrien said. 

"It could be worse," Marinette pointed out. "We could be stuck in the rain without the gazebo." 

"I think I can text Solomon," Adrien replied, digging through the basket for his phone. "He could drive us home." 

Marinette glanced up at the rooftops. "Or, we could run. We're already wet" 

Adrien saw where Marinette was looking. "I like how you're thinking, M'Lady." 

The kwamis popped their heads out of the picnic basket and caught their holders pleading looks. Tikki seemed ok with it. Plagg, on the other hand, vehemently protested. 

"No!" He hissed. "I am a cat! I do not do rain! Absolutely not! Just call Gorilla!" 

"C'mon, Plagg," Adrien pleaded. "Just five minutes." 

"No." 

"Plagg," Tikki piped. "Just five minutes?" 

Plagg took one look at what Marinette would call Tikki's baby doll eyes and quickly turned away. 

"Nope! That's not working on me, Sugar Cube. Not this time!" 

"Please, Plagg?" Tikki asked, making her voice as sweet as possible. 

Plagg glanced at Tikki out of the corner of his eye and let out a sigh. "Fine," he huffed. "But know that I'm only doing this because you said please." 

"Claws out!" 

"Spots on!" 

They jumped up onto the rooftops and started chasing each other through the rain. It was a bit of a race to see who could get to their destination first. Chat had to admit, running through the rain felt pretty nice, but he could hear the cat part of him and Plagg hissing at getting so wet. It was some of the best fun he'd ever had. When Tom and Sabine's bakery came into view, he and Ladybug dropped into a nearby alley and dropped their transformations. 

"That was pretty fun," Marinette said with a laugh. "Even if we're soaked." 

"We should probably get inside," Adrien replied. 

"You owe me for this, Kid," Plagg interjected, pouting and diving back into the basket. 

"You're just a sourpuss, Plagg," Tikki stated, following him. 

"He is a bit of a grouch," Adrien admitted. 

"Don't be so mean," Marinette teased. "He _is_ a cat." 

Adrien and Marinette sprinted the rest of the way to the bakery. Once they got inside, Tom and Sabine started fussing over them and got them to towel off. They gave Adrien a change of clothes while they dried his outfit. Thankfully, Marinette had some that she'd made that fit him. He, Plagg, Marinette and Tikki ended up watching a movie in Marinette's room. Adrien shot Casey a quick text, letting her know that he'd be out later than expected, explaining that he and Marinette got caught in the rain and were watching a movie while their clothes dried. 

**Casey: I'll let Felice know. You can text her when you need a ride. Still having fun?**

**Adrien: Definitely not how I pictured this night going, but I think it's better than what I had planned**

**Casey: I told you. Sometimes things go a lot better when they go a little wrong**

Adrien put his phone away and cuddled next to Marinette on her bed as they picked a movie to watch on her tablet. He definitely liked it better this way.


	8. Judgement Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Casey and Adrien attend Gabriel and Nathalie's trial.

The time passed faster than Casey and Adrien would have liked. They were getting into the swing of things, and then the dreaded trial date finally arrived. They were thankful to learn that their hero personas would not be called to testify. Adrien personally wasn't sure he could've handled that. Casey and Adrien were up by seven and Casey agreed to let Adrien have some coffee because heaven knows they were going to need it to get through everything that was about to happen. Casey wore the most formal outfit Adrien had ever seen her in. She wore a grey pantsuit with a black top. She wore black ballet flats and her hair was straightened and kept back with a headband. Adrien was in formal suit. Casey was tying his tie when her phone started ringing. She knelt down and put it on speaker. 

"Yes, Aunt Felice. Adrien and I are up and almost ready," Casey said calmly. 

"It's Daisy." 

"Hi, Daisy," Adrien replied. 

"Am I on speaker?" she asked. 

"Yes. What do you need, Daisy?" Casey inquired 

"I need you to convince Aunt Felice that I should go with you," Daisy answered. 

"Absolutely not," Casey replied firmly. "That is the last place I want you to be. And I'm sure Mom feels exactly the same way." 

"You and Adrien are going and I want to be there to support you," Daisy argued. 

Casey let out a sigh. "We're going because our father is the one on trial. We are expected to be there. And while we appreciate that you want to be there with us, you are not going anywhere near the courthouse." 

"But-" 

"No buts. That was Mom's decision, it was Aunt Felice's decision and it's mine." 

"Give me one good reason why I can't be there," Daisy demanded. 

"I can give you three," Casey replied. "One: The media is going to be swarming that place like crazy. None of us want you to get caught up in that storm by showing up with Adrien and I. They haven't started looking at you and we want it to stay that way. Two: There will be too many people there. Do you have any idea how many people have been called to testify? Almost every single person that has ever been akumatized and then some. I'm not risking losing you in a crowd that big." 

"And the third?" Daisy interjected. 

"Third being that no one your age should be in a courtroom like that. There were many akumas that were downright traumatic for people. I don't want you hearing those testimonies first hand." 

"I've seen them on the news," Daisy reasoned. 

"News and hearing first hand accounts are two very different things," Casey stated. "The answer is final, Daisy." 

"Sorry, Daisy," Adrien piped. "I've got to side with Casey on this one." 

"You know, I've seen some nasty akumas while I've been in Paris." 

"No, you really haven't. You didn't see the akumas like Timebreaker or Sandboy or Zombizou. You have not seen just how bad an akuma can get, and I don't want you to know how bad they can get," Casey said firmly. "We will be coming over once the trial is over and then you can give us all the support in the world." 

"But that's not the same." 

"We know," Adrien replied. "But I think it'd be harder for us to sit in the courtroom knowing that you're listening to some pretty horrifying stories. So please, Daisy?"

There was a moment of silence. Adrien could picture Daisy debating with herself. He understood, and appreciated, that she wanted to be there, but he definitely sided more with Casey. Casey had done her research on the akumas and she'd seen some pretty nasty ones. Berserk came to mind. But even she hadn't seen the ones she'd listed. If it weren't for the Miraculous Cure, a lot of people would have died from the akuma attacks, including himself. Daisy let out a resigned sigh. 

"Fine. I won't go," she said. "But I expect you to come over and let me hug you both as long as humanly possible." 

Casey let out a chuckle. "I think we can do that. Love you, Daisy." 

"Love you," Adrien added. 

"Love you too." 

Casey ended the call and Adrien noticed a concerned look on her face. 

"Everything ok?" he asked. 

"Sometimes she just seems a little too eager to help," Casey replied. "She forgets to think about what she can actually help with. We should start making our way downstairs. Solomon will be here soon. Marinette's meeting us at the courthouse?" 

Adrien nodded. "She said she'd meet us inside to stay away from the cameras." 

"Smart idea." Casey took a deep breath. "I hope this day ends quickly." 

Adrien wasn't holding out hope for the day to be quick. From the moment they got into Solomon's car, everything seemed to slow to a crawl. Adrien felt the anxiety welling up inside of him. The weight of the situation hit him. Casey held his hand in a silent show of support, which he appreciated. As they got to the courthouse, Adrien saw just how many people were there to cover the trial. News Stations from all across France had showed up. As soon as he and Casey stepped out of the car, they were bombarded with cameras, microphones and questions. Adrien huddled close to Casey and she wrapped her arm around him. They didn't answer any questions as they went inside. Adrien found that he couldn't really make his mouth work. Looking at Casey, he guessed she was in the same boat. The roar of questions and camera flashes suddenly vanished once they entered the building. While outside was a storm of noise, inside was the exact opposite. There was a solemn respect for what was about to happen. Adrien could feel sympathetic eyes on him and Casey as they walked through the halls. 

Marinette was waiting outside of the courtroom. She saw them coming towards her and reached out to hug Adrien. He gladly accepted the hug. 

"Alya and Nino are already in their seats," Marinette stated. "According to them, only Alya was called to testify."

"For Lady Wifi?" Casey guessed. 

Marinette nodded. "And for some things that happened during another akuma called Puppeteer." 

Casey glanced at Adrien. "Are you ready to head in?" 

He gave her a small nod. The courtroom was packed with people. There were hushed voices talking and Adrien saw Nathalie and Gabriel sitting up front with the poor lawyer that had to defend them. Alya and Nino were sitting at the end of a row in the middle of the courtroom. Marinette, Adrien and Casey took the seats next to them, with Adrien sitting between Marinette and his sister. He gave Alya a supportive smile. As hard as it was for him to be here, he didn't have to testify. People continued to file in until the time the trial started. 

The judge entered and began the proceedings. Adrien found himself looking at the jurors. They kept their gazes on the stand and Adrien wondered if they all had already come up with a verdict for Gabriel. He hardly paid attention to the opening statements. He barely paid attention to anything that was going on. If he tried, he felt like everything in him was being drained away. They started calling up witnesses. Adrien caught bits and pieces of what people said. 

_"Please state the identity or identities you assumed while akumatzied."_

"Stoneheart." 

"Stormy Weather." 

"Horrificator." 

"Riposte and Oni-Chan." 

"Lady Wifi." 

"Timebreaker." 

"Antibug and Queen Wasp." 

_"Please detail the circumstances of your akumatization"_

"I was embarrassed by a classmate," Nathaniel and Ivan said. 

"I was trying to protect one of my students," Ms. Bustier stated. 

Nadja glanced down at her feet. "I was angry that my show wasn't doing well." 

"I was frustrated with my job," Penny admitted. 

There wasn't much that the akumatized victims could say, which made their testimonies short. Not remembering what they did as akumas was a bit of a hindrance. Then, people that were affected by an akuma's power were called to the stand. Some of Adrien's classmates recalled what it was like to get hit by Timebreaker. He felt like the experience should have been familiar to them as they described it. Marinette's hand held firmly onto his and he noticed her eyes mist over a little. Alya took to the stand and was asked to recall her experience with the Puppeteer. Nino looked pained as Alya described being turned back into her akumatized persona and losing all control of her own actions. The things people said about Sandboy were probably the hardest to listen to. Adrien remembered the bars showing up in his room, trapping him until he only had a tiny square of space and he called for his father. He felt a twinge of resentment. He had lived through his own worst nightmare all because of Gabriel. 

Then, the part of the trial Adrien dreaded the most came. It was time for Gabriel to take the stand. Adrien suddenly wanted to jump up and leave. He did not want to hear whatever excuses Gabriel had for what he did. Casey caught onto his shift and took his other hand. He tried to focus on the judge, on the prosecutor, anyone but Gabriel. The didn't stop him from picking up bits and pieces of what Gabriel said. 

"My wife was dying from a mistake we made. I had to save her." 

"I wanted my son to be happy again." 

"I would do anything to have my family together again." 

"Does that include your daughter?" The prosecutor asked. 

Adrien's mind jumped to attention at that question. He noticed Casey's jaw tense. There was a moment of silence in the courtroom. What was the prosecutor hoping to accomplish by asking about Casey? Adrien couldn't figure out the purpose of the question. Gabriel's face was completely neutral as he looked at the prosecutor. 

"Yes. I would not consider my family whole without giving her a place in it," Gabriel answered. 

Adrien saw Gabriel make eye contact with Casey. She had a baleful glare on her face and mouthed one word. Liar. Marinette, Nino and Alya glanced at Casey, gauging whether or not she believed Gabriel's words. The prosecutor seemed a little taken aback by Gabriel's answer. Maybe he thought Gabriel would say the exact opposite of that. Adrien had definitely expected that. He and Casey knew exactly how he felt about her. There was no way he'd had a change of heart after a few weeks in prison. 

Gabriel's testimony finished quickly after that and then the jury left to come to a decision. People in the courtroom started muttering and Adrien noticed a few people throw glances their way. Casey's face remained stoic and her gaze was fixed on the judge's chair. Gabriel didn't turn to try and find them. He didn't try to look at them and Adrien preferred it that way. He had no idea what he would feel if he tried to meet his gaze. The jurors returned to the courtroom and handed their verdict to the judge. 

"The jury has found the defendant, Gabriel Agreste, guilty on the counts of terrorism against the city of Paris, attempted murder of the first degree and conspiracy to murder. He will be sentenced to life in prison, with no opportunity for parole. Court adjourned." 

"Adrien, do you want to stay for Nathalie's?" Casey asked. 

He wordlessly nodded his head. He'd made it this far. He wanted to see the whole ordeal through. He had to, not just because it was Gabriel and Nathalie, but because he was Chat Noir. He had to see that they got justice. Thankfully, Nathalie's trial took much less time than Gabriel's, mostly because she had been Mayura half as long as Gabriel had been Hawkmoth, and was not as active with the Peacock Miraculous. The testimonies were easier to listen to in the second trial. When sentencing came, Nathalie wasn't given any mercy. She got the same as Gabriel. As Nathalie was led out, she looked for Adrien and he could only describe the look she gave him as apologetic. 

The prosecutor for Gabriel and Nathalie's trials was passing by with his briefcase. Casey stood up and quickly called for his attention.

"Something I can do for you, Ms. Barbereau?" He asked.

"Yes. I would like to know why you asked Gabriel about me," Casey answered. "I don't like being blindsided and suddenly thrown into the spotlight."

"My apologies," he replied. "I suppose I should have warned you it was coming before the trial began. It was an attempt to poke holes in Mr. Agreste's motive, make it less sympathetic to the jury. I expected him to be more...hostile towards you."

"We all were a bit surprised at his response," Casey replied, her voice tight. "Still, you did your job well. He was convicted."

The prosecutor took his cue and left. Casey stood still for a moment, probably running everything through her mind, processing it all. After a moment, she placed a hand on Adrien's shoulder.

"Hey, Adrien," she said softly. "Let's go see Daisy. Ok?" 

He nodded. "I don't want to talk to the reporters." 

"You don't have to," Casey replied. "Solomon's waiting out front for us." 

Adrien turned towards Marinette. "Thank you for being here. It meant a lot." 

"If you need anything, don't hesitate to call," she said, gently squeezing his hand. 

Leaving the building was worse than entering. As soon as Adrien and Casey stepped outside, they were bombarded with questions, and this time, the reporters didn't have as much regard for their personal space. They asked if they had anything to say regarding Gabriel's testimony or the sentence he had received. Casey kept her arm securely around Adrien. 

"No comment," she stated. 

Casey repeated that phrase numerous times until they got to the car. Once they were inside, Adrien leaned against her, shaking with all of the pent up emotions he'd felt during the trial. Casey held him and gently rubbed his arm comfortingly. Solomon used the rear view mirror to glance at the two. Casey met his gaze. 

"It's been a long day." 

Solomon nodded in response and drove them to Felice and Josue's house. Felice enveloped the two in a tight hug, whispering comforting words. Josue stood behind Felice with a tight look on his face. He looked like he wanted to take away all of their emotions and just let them be happy. When Felice let them go, Daisy took over the hugging. She kept her arms wrapped around Casey and Adrien until Felice asked if she and Josue could talk to Casey in the kitchen. Adrien waited, expecting Casey to let out whatever righteous fury she'd held in during the trial and start making loud exclamations about how their father had no right to attempt to justify his actions by hiding behind them and his wife. He never heard Casey raise her voice. He only heard soothing words from Josue and Felice. When Casey came back and joined them on the couch, her eyes were red and puffy. There were fresh tear stains on her face. Adrien latched onto her and poured all of his gratitude and love into that one hug.


	9. Assets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Casey gets new stuff from a lawyer. Daisy says goodbye. Some old friends come for a visit. Casey goes out for a drink.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I'm back. I'm going to say right now, this chapter might not be 100% realistic and that's because even with the power of Google I don't completely understand some of the legal stuff involved in this chapter, and it's also from the U.S, so it's probably different from what actually happens in France. So, please be gracious with any legal stuff that seems a little stretched.  
> Glad that you're all enjoying the story. Hope you enjoy the chapter!

The trial tired out Casey more than she cared to admit. She couldn't stop replaying every detail in her head. Gbriel's testimony kept popping up and she felt the desire to scream, kick and cry. Casey did her best to ignore it, focusing her energy on different things like work, playing video games with Adrien, sorting through her mail, reviewing her budget for the millionth time, basically anything to stop thinking about it. For awhile, it worked pretty well. It was easy for Casey to keep her exhaustion at bay, besides, it hit Adrien a lot harder than it hit her. She didn't have time to break down. 

Unfortunately, Casey hit her limit when she found something disconcerting in the mail. It was from a lawyer, which already set off alarm bells in her head. Casey had to wonder if she could get away with ignoring it, but that little voice in her head, that sounded a lot like her mother, told her that she couldn't just throw away something without knowing what it was. The envelope was pretty thick and Casey got ready for whatever possible problem was held inside. When she started looking at the papers, her mind froze. 

"You've got to be kidding me," she groaned, laying her head on the table. 

"Is everything alright?" Tali asked. 

"I swear, at this point he just wants to screw with me," Casey grumbled. "What could he possibly gain by doing this?!" 

"Who is doing what?" 

Casey picked her head up. "Gabriel is transferring all of his assets to me, well, technically, Adrien, but he's not old enough to take possession of them all, so I have control of them until then. So, I get the company, the money, the mansion...all of it!" 

"I'm confused. How is that a problem?" 

"It's a problem because I don't _want_ it and it comes with a massive legal headache. Now I actually have to be involved with that stupid fashion brand and the idiots running it, I have to keep up on bills for that stupid house and figure out what I'm supposed to do with all these new accounts and...I just hate this! What the hell am I supposed to do with all of this?!"

Casey heard a knock on the door frame and spotted Adrien and Plagg. 

"Everything ok, Feather Head?" Plagg asked. 

"Yeah, just a new legal issue that I have to deal with," Casey replied with a sigh. 

"Does it have to do with Father?" Adrien inquired. 

Casey gave a small nod. "There's a situation with his assets. He wants to transfer them to you, but since you're not an adult yet, I get control of them and there's a bunch of legal jargon to sort through." 

"It seems like it's stressing you out," Adrien commented. 

"Don't worry about it. I'll handle it," Casey assured him. "Once it's all sorted out, you and I can talk about what to do with some of this shit." 

Adrien took a seat next to Casey and glanced at the paperwork. "That looks like a lot of stuff." 

"It is. Here's hoping it doesn't turn everything upside down," Casey replied, crossing her fingers. 

"Any idea why he's doing this?" 

Casey shook her head. "Not a clue. I have a feeling I'm going to have to have a conversation with him at some point." 

Tali patted Casey's cheek. "You don't have to see him if you don't want to." 

"Yeah, I kinda do..." 

"I can go with you," Adrien offered. "Be moral support." 

Casey glanced at Adrien with a frown. "I can't ask you to do that, Adrien. I don't want you to see him just because I'm going. It's not fair to put you through that." 

"She's got a point, Kid," Plagg piped. "Are you sure you could see him?" 

"Well...no," Adrien answered. "But I don't want you to be alone." 

"I'll have Tali with me," Casey replied. "I'm not going to be alone."

"Are you sure?" Adrien asked. 

"I'm sure. You shouldn't go there unless you're sure that it's something you want." 

Casey got up to go make breakfast and they let the conversation dropped. Adrien left to go hang out with Nino. Casey just told him to come home in time for them to see Daisy off at the train station. She tucked the envelope in her desk and went down to work. Despite how hard she tried, it kept popping up in her thoughts. No amount of distraction could get her mind off of it. Josue noticed and kept her engaged with little conversation throughout the day, which Casey was really grateful for. As it came time for her lunch break, Adrien came back to the Garage. Felice came by and picked them up. While Casey sat in the front, Daisy was pouting in the back. 

"C'mon, Dais. You can't tell me you don't miss Home," Casey said, peeking back at her. 

"Of course I miss it," Daisy replied. "But I want to stay with you and Adrien for a little longer. Summer's not even over yet!" 

"It's almost over," Felice stated. "You've had a great time here, but school starts soon and you need to get ready." 

"I don't even like school." 

"What's not to like about school?" Adrien asked. "I can't wait to go back." 

"Maybe it's different for you here in France," Daisy retorted. "Because no one in England would ever like school." 

"I think that's an exaggeration," Casey replied with a chuckle. 

"You didn't like school either," Daisy pointed out. 

"True," Casey admitted. "But somebody had to keep Charlie from getting expelled, and it wasn't gonna be Danny."

"The two of you got pretty close," Felice interjected. "Your headmaster was incredibly gracious." 

"Those accidents weren't our fault!" Casey replied. 

"Some of them were," Tali piped. 

Casey shot a glare at her kwami. "Don't go selling me out." 

"Maybe I should do what you did in school," Daisy mused. 

"No," Casey and Felice said quickly. 

"I was an idiot in school," Casey stated. 

"An idiot with sevens and eights in most of her classes," Daisy replied. 

"Ok, an intelligent idiot, but an idiot nonetheless. Don't do the stupid stuff I did." 

"I thought Charlie did all the stupid stuff and you just got caught in the middle of it," Adrien piped. 

"Who do you think got me to do the stupid stuff?" 

"We don't have to recount all of the ridiculous stuff you got into with your friends," Felice interjected. "I don't think your mother would like you giving your siblings any ideas." 

"Hey, one of said siblings is smart enough to know not to try said ideas," Adrien reasoned. "And it's the one staying in Paris." 

"You say that, but I think you totally would," Daisy replied. "We've all seen the stunts you pull as Chat Noir." 

"We're getting out of the car, so let's not bring secret ID's into this," Casey advised. "And for the record, one person in this car went to fight Hawkmoth without proper training and control of their power." 

"Hey, no fair! You can't just end the conversation like that!" Daisy protested. 

"Can and did." 

They got Daisy checked in with the conductor and on her train just in time. They said quick goodbyes on the platform and Daisy promised that she'd call at least once a week. With Daisy safely on her way back to Portsmouth, Casey and Adrien went back to the Garage. Adrien and Josue made it their mission to keep Casey focused on her work, mainly by having Adrien peek over her shoulder and ask her questions, which eventually led to him being her little helper. Adrien got his first full dose of what Casey called the mechanic treatment. By the end of the day, both siblings were covered in grease, oil and grime. Adrien was grinning from ear to ear, clearly pleased with the work. 

"Now you look like a mechanic," Casey stated, putting a dot of grease on his nose. "How's it feel to be messy?" 

"Fun," Adrien answered. "You think I can go out in public like this?" 

Casey let out a chuckle. "I think your girlfriend would have a slight problem with that." 

"I think Marinette would like it," Adrien replied. "She'd think it's macho." 

"Good luck getting her to even touch you when you're covered in that much grease," Josue piped. "Felice refuses to hold my hand until I've showered." 

"I have to agree with Josue," Casey said with a smirk. "Some people just don't like the grease covered mechanic look that comes so naturally to us. Why don't you head upstairs and get showered? I'll be up once we close up shop." 

"What should I do with my clothes?" he asked. 

"Stick them in the basket in the bathroom and I'll wash them when I get up there," Casey answered. 

Closing up the Garage took a bit longer than usual. Casey had to chase down some of her tools that had somehow ended up on the other side of the Garage, then help Josue make sure they had finished everything they had needed to do for the day, then tidy up the shop and empty the register and, finally, lock everything up. When she got back upstairs, Adrien was in fresh clothes and grease free. 

Casey took her own shower and put the dirty laundry in the washer, then, put in a pizza for her, Adrien and the kwamis. She and Adrien sat down to play some video games while waiting for their dinner. Casey would admit to sucking at video games. She was what Adrien called a button masher. Casey could keep up with a rampaging akuma while still being aware of the other people around her and listening to Tali, but she couldn't keep track of a video game. Needless to say, Adrien won with little competition. Casey didn't mind. It was nice to sit down and play with him. She considered it to be prime sibling time. They were about to start another round of UMS III when there was a knock on the door. 

"Are we expecting somebody?" Adrien asked. 

"Not that I'm aware of," Casey replied. "Tali, did Aunt Felice say she and Josue would come over later?" 

Tali shook her head. Adrien made a quick motion for the two kwamis to hide and they darted into Adrien's room. Casey went to answer the door and was met with three pairs of arms wrapping her in a bone crushing hug. When Casey separated herself from them, she spotted Charlie and his signature, untamed black hair and two other girls her age. One was just tall as Casey, with choppy, brown hair and sharp hazel eyes. The other was a little shorter, with a head of blonde curls and round, dark blue eyes. Casey let out a smile upon recognizing them. 

"Hey, Danny. Hey Aria," Casey said. 

"Don't you 'hey' us, Casey Barbereau," the brunette, Danny, replied, pointing a finger at Casey's chest. "You move to Paris and then when you find out who your birth father is and take in your baby brother, do you decide to call? Tell us what's going on? No. It's like we never knew each other." 

"You done?" Casey asked, her smile turning into a smirk. 

Danny's glare melted away and turned into a smirk identical to Casey's. "Yes, I'm done. It's so good to see you!" she squealed, hugging Casey. 

"Let her breathe, Danny," Aria piped. "You can't just show up and then suffocate her." 

"No love for your best mate, Casey?" Charlie asked. "I feel so betrayed." 

"I was getting to you, Charlie," Casey replied. 

"So, where's this baby brother of yours?" Danny inquired. 

"He's in the living room. You interrupted his crushing me at video games." 

Casey led them to the living room where Adrien was waiting. Adrien beamed at seeing Charlie. 

"Charlie!" he said excitedly. 

"Wait, _this_ Adrien is your brother?" Charlie replied in disbelief. "I thought it might have been some other kid named Adrien, but it's _this_ Adrien?" 

"Have you not seen any pictures online?" Casey inquired. 

Aria patted Casey on the shoulder. "He's mostly been avoiding them. He wanted to be surprised at the introduction. I'm assuming they've met before." 

"His last visit to Paris," Casey explained. "Adrien and his friends used the Garage as their hangout during the school year. This was before we even knew we were siblings." 

"Talk about coincidence," Danny mused. "Nice to meet you, Adrien. I'm Danny. This is Aria." 

Adrien nodded. "Casey's told me about you guys. You used to play soccer with her?" 

"Yeah. Danny and Casey played offense while I played defense," Aria replied. "Those two were pretty nasty on the field." 

"Oh, come on. I wasn't that scary," Casey stated. 

"You were the best ball stealer we had," Danny argued. "And you did so many headers, I'm surprised you never got a concussion." 

"First, I learned how to head the ball so I could avoid concussions, unlike _someone_ ," Casey retorted, giving Danny a pointed look. "And second, I wasn't the person who would charge people like a bull and kicked with legs of steel. You were a goalie's worst nightmare." 

"And now their going to relive their glory days," Charlie interjected with a melodramatic sigh. "Why did you have to ask about soccer?" 

Adrien gave Charlie a meek smile. "Sorry. Couldn't help myself." 

"Adrien and I put in a pizza. Are you guys staying awhile?" Casey asked. "I can put another one in if I have to."

"Please," Charlie replied. "I'm starving." 

Casey was happy to get a chance to catch up with her friends. Adrien was having a good time too. They started playing Super Smash Bros four players at a time with the loser switching out with the spectator. Usually, the match ended up being a toss up between Adrien and Aria, who, surprisingly, was quite the gamer. 

"My roommate likes to play," Aria explained. "You get kind of good when your way of dealing with stress during exams is to play with them." 

Going to a university certainly agreed with Aria. She was pretty happy with the path she'd chosen, even if becoming a neurologist would require her to put in many more years of schooling. Danny was enjoying her time in London, happy with studying business. Casey was happy that they found the careers they wanted. Adrien, being Adrien, asked them many questions about what their particular studies included. Danny and Aria were happy to answer them while in the middle of matches. 

"What about you, Charlie?" Casey asked. "How are things in that garage back home?" 

"They're good, but I feel like it might be time for a change of scenery," Charlie answered. "I'm just not content having Portsmouth be the only place in the world that I really know." 

"I guess that makes sense," Casey replied. "I mean, I don't quite get it, but if that's what you want." 

"Casey, you'll be content anywhere as long as you get to work on cars," Danny stated. 

"Not true. I need more than just cars." 

"But you'd be pretty miserable if you didn't have them," Aria pointed out. "Face it, you were born to work on them." 

"They've got a point," Charlie piped. "I'll bet you're not even a real person, just an android built to fix cars." 

"What is this? Gang up on Casey Day?" 

"Don't worry Casey, I know you need more than just cars," Adrien replied. "Like me. You'd hate not having me around." 

"Very true," Casey admitted. "Life would suck without you, Little Brother."

"Looks like your sister's got some competition for best sibling," Danny stated. 

"Don't get them competing," Casey begged. "I do not want to know where that will go." 

The oven beeped and Casey left the couch to go get the pizzas. After making sure they were done, she called everyone else to the kitchen. It was a nice time of joking around, reminiscing about old times, talking about where they were going and how things were going. After the pizzas were devoured, Casey started cleaning up with a little help from Danny, while the others resumed their match. The two cleaned in silence for a bit. Casey found it a little unusual. Normally, Danny was a very talkative person. Casey turned to look at her and found Danny observing her with a concerned expression 

"Everything ok, Danny?" Casey asked. 

"I don't know," Danny replied. "You tell me." 

"What?" 

"I can see the bags under your eyes, and the strained smiles. You're tired." 

"I'm fine." 

"No, Casey, you're not. If you were fine, you would've waited to do the dishes until we were gone. You would be in there smashing buttons and joking with Charlie like you always do," Danny stated. "I'm not blind, Casey. The others aren't either." 

"Then why aren't they in here asking?" Casey asked, trying to keep her voice from rising. 

"Because we all know I'm the only one who isn't scared to push your buttons," Danny stated. "You don't intimidate me when you're angry." 

"I'm not doing this," Casey said firmly. "I'm fine, Danny. I don't need you-" 

"Need me what? Analyzing you? Because I'm not, Casey. I'm a concerned friend." 

"I don't need anybody to worry." 

"You mean you don't want your family to worry. You don't want Adrien to worry." 

Casey shot Danny a glare. The brunette was unaffected. Instead, she walked into the living room. 

"Adrien, I'm stealing your sister," she announced. "We're going out for a quick drink." 

"Ok..." Adrien replied. 

"Don't worry," Charlie assured him. "Danny does this from time to time. Be safe." 

Danny walked back into the kitchen, took Casey by the arm and pulled her towards the door. Casey couldn't really put up much of a fight. Danny picked up her purse, handed Casey her bag and out they went. Danny pulled her into a nice bar and grill and they took a seat. The bartender came around and picked up their orders. 

"One Barge du Canal," Danny said with a polite smile. 

"Rootbeer, please," Casey requested. 

"And a shot of rum, please," Danny added. 

Casey shot Danny a quick glance. "Really?" 

"You need a drink," Danny replied. "And it's barley a drink at that. I'm not gonna get you wasted." 

The bartender came back with their drinks. Before Casey could protest, Danny picked up the shot of rum and poured it into her rootbeer. Casey took a sip and had to admit it wasn't bad. Danny waited for Casey to put down her drink then gave her an expectant look. Casey resisted the urge to roll her eyes. 

"What?" she asked. 

"Are you going to talk about why you're so tired, or do I have to actually start analyzing you?" Danny replied. "Because you know I'll do it." 

"There's nothing to talk about," Casey insisted. "It's been a long transition and things with Gabriel are complicated. Nothing else to it." 

"Things with your birth father are more than complicated. Don't sugar coat it." 

"I'm not sugar coating it," Casey growled. "Look, the custody battle was hard and the trial took a lot out of me, ok? And Gabriel and I...don't particularly like each other." 

Danny's eyes widened. "You're kidding? It's that bad?" 

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Anyone that knows you knows you use that phrase when you hate someone," Danny stated. "Do you really hate him?" 

"Why does it matter? He's in prison and I'll probably never see him again," Casey replied, glaring at her drink. 

There was a brief moment of silence. Casey knew better than to believe Danny was done. 

"Do you remember how we became friends?" Danny asked. 

Casey nodded. "We were ten, on the same soccer team." 

"And we didn't get along when we first met," Danny added. "Remember? We kept fighting each other for the ball, couldn't work together even if our lives depended on it, and then you and I were having some pretty bad days. And practice had been pretty rotten too." 

"Is there a point to this?" Casey inquired. 

"Yes," Danny answered. "And I have a feeling you already know it. Remember that day?" 

"Yeah. We were alone in the parking lot, waiting for our parents. You started kicking rocks and crying." 

"And you asked if I was ok," Danny continued. "You and I couldn't _stand_ each other, but you asked if I was ok. And I told you about my dad." 

Casey nodded. "You said he wasn't a nice guy, that when your mom stopped giving him money to spend, he left, and that he was trying to come back, but your mom said no." 

"I told you about the most painful thing that I'd ever known," Danny replied. "We were ten. I told you how I wanted my dad to love me, but knew that he wouldn't, and you told me you got it. You told me your dad left before you were born, how you thought he ran and that you were mad because your parents had gotten into a fight and you thought Charles was gonna run too because your mom was pregnant." 

"I remember," Casey mumbled. "You and I sat there for another fifteen minutes, crying to each other." 

"And that's why it matters," Danny replied earnestly. "Casey, I understand you better than most because I know what it's like when you want someone to love you but you know they can't. I know you, Casey, and I know that if you really hate him, then there's a lot more to this than you're telling people. Please, just let someone help." 

Casey didn't know how to respond. So many thoughts started filling her head and she wasn't sure which ones wanted to spill first. She hated Gabriel, she couldn't find in herself not to, and he hated her. But it had hurt so much to hear him lie to the courtroom and she didn't know why! She didn't know why he was being stubborn in trying to keep some semblance of a presence in her life and Adrien's when it was clear that they didn't want him! He had practically killed her! Tears started pooling in her eyes. 

"He hated me first," Casey said, her voice shaking. "He found out I was his daughter and he hated it." 

"That's always the worst thing to hear," Danny replied. 

"He thinks I'm poison, that I turned Adrien against him. He thinks I'm the reason he'll never get everything he wants and he wants me dead." 

"That's not the hardest part. There's more." 

"I had to fight tooth and nail for custody of Adrien," Casey stated. "That's when a lot of the bad stuff he did to Adrien came out. He kept him inside that damn mansion, kept him from making friends, taught him to be obedient, to silently endure terrible people, to be this quiet, perfect, little...doll for him. He controlled everything Adrien could ever do and it broke my heart. And the worst part is that he never even tried to be there, he just watched and waited for a mistake and never gave Adrien what he needed. So I told myself, I will give him _everything_ he needs from me, all the love, all the affection, all the praise, all that I can give and then Gabriel walks up to that stand and makes it sound like he cares about the two of us, and then he throws this legal stuff at me, telling me that I'm now in charge of everything he had and...what am I supposed to do?! I don't want a damn thing that was his! But I can't just throw it away because it's meant to go to Adrien and I don't want to take away options for his future, because I'm fine being a mechanic and living simple but what if he's not?! What if he wants more from life and I can't give him that?!" 

Danny placed a hand over Casey's. "Look at me, Case. That boy already loves you and he knows that you love him. If he thought for a second that you were anything like Gabriel, then he probably wouldn't sit on the ground in your living room with you to play games and pick up on your swearing and ask so many questions and do another million things that he probably does in that apartment that he never thought he could do when he was living with Gabriel. You. Are. Enough. For. Him. To hell with all the shit your father thinks about you. Look at what he's done with his life. He threw it all away because he couldn't give up his image of perfect, but you are wonderful and talented and not afraid to admit that you're just a little bit broken." 

Casey rubbed the tears from her eyes and gave Danny a watery smile. "Maybe more than a little bit." 

"And, I say this with the utmost love for you as one of your best friends. Please seek some therapy, because you said a lot that needs to be unpacked by someone who knows what they're doing." 

"Already in therapy, actually," Casey replied. "Though, I think the therapist is getting tired of me not really talking about stuff." 

"Maybe it's time you started talking," Danny said softly. 

"I think you're right." 

Casey and Danny finished their drinks and walked back to the apartment. When Casey walked in, she gave Adrien a hug and settled on the couch between him and Charlie. Charlie, Danny and Aria stayed for another two hours before heading back to the motel they were staying at for the night. Adrien put in a movie after they left. As they watched, Casey's eyes started to droop. About halfway through, she ended up asleep on the couch. Adrien fell asleep next to her a few minutes later.


	10. Moving Forward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien and Casey decide to start admitting some things in therapy. 
> 
> Note: At this point, Casey and Adrien have been in therapy for about three/four weeks

Casey and Adrien walked to therapy that week with a lot on their minds. Casey was preparing herself for whatever Ms. Berger would say in regards to everything she was planning on spilling, as well as issuing an apology for being so difficult. Adrien was trying to figure out what he was supposed to do with all of the thoughts swirling in his head. He still believed that staying positive no matter what was best, but as he realized that more changes were coming, he found it harder and harder to do. When they arrived, Ms. Berger was waiting for them. 

"Hello, Adrien," Ms. Berger said warmly. "Come on in and we'll get started." 

Adrien took his seat on the couch while Ms. Berger settled in the armchair. Adrien stared at his feet, figuring out what he could say. 

"This week must have been exhausting for you," Ms. Berger stated. "I saw the news." 

Adrien nodded. "The trial was a little difficult to sit through, but it's ok. I think I'm doing alright." 

Ms. Berger leaned forward with a concerned frown. "Are you sure?" 

"Yeah," Adrien replied, forcing a smile. "It's all over. We're going to get past it and then we'll be fine." 

"Yes, but to move on, you have to address some of the things you've been feeling, even if they're not all positive." 

"I know, but really, I'm doing ok." 

Ms. Berger didn't look convinced. Adrien had been noticing that she no longer sat back and smiled every time he insisted he was fine and that he was happy. He felt the urge to start talking about everything. No one was ever that insistent to make sure he really was doing alright. He tried to make sure Casey didn't feel the need to ask. She was stressed and he didn't want to add to it, and it felt wrong to put everything on his friends and Marinette. A dull throbbing started in his chest and Adrien decided maybe it was time to start being open. 

"The trial was harder than I thought it would be," Adrien admitted. "I knew what my father had done to everyone with the akumas, but hearing people stand up and testify, to recount those experiences...it made me realize just how much he hurt people. And then he talked about how it was all for me and my mom and...I felt dirty. I don't want to be the reason he hurt so many people. I feel like people will look at me and only see my father and what he did." 

"That can be a difficult thing to come to terms with," Ms. Berger replied. "I would like you to tell me how the people closest to you responded when they heard about your father." 

"Well, my friends all reached out," Adrien stated. "They came over to see me, they spent time with me and never tried to make me talk about it. They helped me move in with Casey. Their parents went to talk to Casey when they found out she was becoming my guardian. They said they wanted to make sure she would be there for me, that she really cared." 

"I can't speak for people you will meet in the future, but it sounds like your friends and their families all went to be there for you," Ms. Berger said softly. "Maybe there will be people who look at you and see your father's crimes. You can't control those people. You can surround yourself with people who care about you and see _you_. You already have a closely knit group of people that rushed to your side." 

Adrien stopped to process that. He remembered Alya, Nino and Marinette being at the trial with him and Casey. They sat with him, listened to the testimonies and comforted him even after Gabriel had taken the stand. The knot in his chest loosened as he realized just how much his friends cared about him, how much Marinette cared about him. 

"Is there something else weighing on you, Adrien?" Ms. Berger asked. 

"I've been...a little anxious," Adrien answered. "There have been a lot of changes and I know there will be more and it scares me a little. I love living with Casey. I'm happy there and she's always making sure she spends time with me. She let me quit modeling, asks me about decisions that affect me and lets me have freedom I ever thought I'd have. But I'm a little scared of what else will happen. There's still a bunch of legal stuff that Casey is figuring out, there are my extracurriculars that I know she'll change, things at school will be different and I don't know if all of them will be a good different." 

"Have you talked to Casey about this anxiety?" 

Adrien shook his head. "She tries not to show it too much, but I know she's stressed. She's been handling her job, the press, the fallout from the trial and I don't want to make her think that I'm not grateful for everything she's done. I don't want to make her stress worse." 

"That's a noble thing to do, but you're also repressing important emotions that you need to work through. Anxiety over change is a common thing for many people, but you have to be open about it to deal with it. No one should have to deal with any anxieties on their own." 

"But what if it stresses her out?" 

"It doesn't have to be Casey that you talk to. You're talking to me about it now. Do you feel better admitting you're a little anxious?" 

Adrien nodded. "It does feel a bit better." 

"You've been through a lot of big changes in the past few weeks and with more coming it may be stressful. What are some good things that have come out of those changes?" 

Adrien stopped to think about the question. Truth be told, there were a lot of great things that came out of every change he and Casey had made. He felt loved and cared for, he had more freedom and more control over his own life and he was becoming closer with all of his friends now that he wasn't pulled into a million different directions everyday. He felt like he was able to be himself instead of his father's perfect son. He listed those things and Ms. Berger listened intently. 

"And all of those good things came from the changes that have been made in your life," Ms. Berger stated as he finished his list. "Yes, change is scary. It's scary for everyone. When you start to feel anxious, remind yourself of the good things that came from the previous changes and consider that maybe there are more good things that can come from other changes. And you've learned from past experiences, that Casey isn't going to make any changes without talking to you, so you can breathe, knowing that you won't be blindsided."

Adrien found that he was relaxed for the rest of the session. He didn't suddenly stop feeling anxious, but it was better and he found that he was less worried about what would happen now that Gabriel was in prison. He had a lot of people that were there for him and they wouldn't cast judgement on him because his father used him as an excuse for his crimes. Casey noticed him walking out with a relaxed smile. 

"Good session?" she asked. 

"Yeah. I think it's helping," Adrien replied. 

"I'm glad to hear that. Solomon will be here in a few minutes to take you home and then I'll be home in an hour." 

Casey walked into Ms. Berger's room, playing Danny's words through her head. It was time she started talking otherwise she'd never be able to get better. Casey sat down on the couch and took a deep breath. Ms. Berger seemed to notice that she was getting ready to say something and waited. 

"I owe you an apology," Casey said slowly. "I've been a pain in your ass for every session I've come in and it's not fair to you. I'm ready to start talking." 

"I'm glad that you're ready," Ms. Berger replied. "Where would you like to start?" 

"I guess...it's been hard since the trial," Casey answered. "Gabriel said some things in his testimony that I can't stop replaying and it hurts, and I don't know why it hurts." 

"Are things complicated with your father?" 

"More than complicated. It's nothing but a mess of old feelings, resentment, anger and it's just...I don't know what it is. I just know it's not good for me. The truth is, Gabriel hates me and I hate him. But when he testified, he said that his family wouldn't feel whole if he didn't have the chance to let me be a part of it." 

"And do you believe him?" 

"Not for a second. I know how he feels about me, I've seen it multiple times and I know he hasn't suddenly changed his mind. But...I can't understand why hearing him say that hurts so much." 

"What was it like for you, when you were growing up? Was your birth father a common topic?" 

"Not a whole lot. I asked a few questions here and there, like why wasn't he around, was he nice, could he come back, all that stuff. I didn't really start to get angry about it until I was seven. That's when it started to sink in that I was missing something that almost everyone else around me had and no matter how much I wanted it, I couldn't have it. That's when I started really hating some stuff about myself." 

"You hated yourself?" 

"Parts of me," Casey admitted. "Hated my hair, hated my eyes, hated the expressions and gestures I made that made my mom look at me and see bits and pieces of Gabriel. I still hate them. If he doesn't want me then I don't want to have things that show that I'm his daughter. I know I hate him. I know that I'm not meant to have a relationship with him. But it hurt _so much_ to hear him say in that courtroom that he would've let me had that when we both know it's a lie. And I want it to stop hurting because I've got a dad and a mom and siblings that love me and want me and that shouldn't hurt me." 

"But it does," Ms. Berger replied. "It hurts a lot, and you don't know what you can do with all of that pain, do you?" 

"No. And it just makes me tired. It makes everything ten times more stressful because he's being so _persistent_ about still having a presence in Adrien's life and suddenly, all of it falls to me and the pain just gets worse. It festers and won't go away. How am I supposed to be a good sister if I can't feel anything but this? This pain and this nagging feeling in my head that I'm not good enough to take care of my brother because I can't give him everything he needs." 

"You are giving him what he needs," Ms. Berger assured her. "You're giving him a home, a place where he feels loved and cared for." 

"And what if it isn't enough? What if I'm not enough? What if he needs more from life?" 

"Are you sure he'll need more or are you worried he'll _want_ more? Because there is a difference. You wouldn't have been allowed to take custody of him if you didn't have the means to provide what he needed. You are stressing yourself out about being unable to provide a lifestyle that Gabriel provided for him, but you don't need to worry about that, Casey. You don't have to bend over backwards to give Adrien everything he could possibly want. It's not healthy for you. Give him what you can give while still being able to care for yourself. When was the last time you practiced self-care? Time for yourself with no work, no focus on your father and no worrying about your brother." 

"I don't know," Casey answered with a sigh. "Haven't really had time to myself since Gabriel got arrested." 

"Then find a time to do something for yourself," Ms. Berger instructed. "Anything that will help you relieve stress. And there are friends and family that will be willing to help you. You don't have to carry it all on your own."

"Guess not." 

"Before our next session, I'd like you to find a healthy self-care strategy, and nurture your support system." 

"I think I can do that," Casey replied. 

Casey spent the rest of the session talking about some of the stressors, like dealing with the asset transfer, sorting through the numerous press calls and emails asking for interviews and comments about the trial, saving up for a car and making sure every dollar she had was accounted for because yeah, she had a generous paycheck for a mechanic, but she still couldn't risk misplacing a single cent or she'd start freaking out. Ms. Berger didn't try to tell Casey that she was being irrational or paranoid. Instead, she offered Casey ways to make sure she didn't have to worry, ways for her to take care of herself and put her mind at ease. She left the session with feeling more calm than she had in awhile. She called Felice, who was happy to give her a ride back to the apartment.


	11. Surprise

Casey made her way down to the Garage on Monday and glanced over at the beetle that had been sitting in the Garage for weeks now. She had to admit, the car looked a lot better now that she and Josue had gotten majority of the old parts replaced. If she could work on it for least a solid three hours, Casey was certain she could finish the work today. She felt a little sad as knowing she'd never really see the car again. As she got her tools ready, Josue came into the Garage, talking with a customer on the phone. She couldn't help but listen in. 

"Well, sir, I understand your situation," Josue said. "However I still require payment for the repairs we made to your car." 

There was a slight pause and Casey thought she caught the distinct sound of someone throwing a temper tantrum on the other end of the phone. She cringed. She hated clients that had temper tantrums. 

"Sir, with all due respect, you brought the car to us to fix, we've fixed it, you still need to pay us and come take it so we can have an open space for another client." 

After a few more minutes of talking with the client on the other end of the phone, Josue finally ended the call. 

"Who was that?" Casey asked. 

"The owner of our little problem car," Josue answered. "Apparently, he decided to buy another car and thinks he can just not pay us for fixing this one." 

"That's a little entitled." 

"Yes, well, it seems he's never been told no," he stated. "He'll come back and pay us and then he wants us to scrap the car." 

"We just got it back in working order!" Casey exclaimed. "And he wants to scrap it _now_?! That son of a-" 

"Casey," Josue warned. "He's still our client." 

"Doesn't change the fact that he's one," she growled. "Who hires a mechanic then decides 'nah, it's taking too long. I'll just get another car and not pay them'? Does he have any idea how much all those parts cost?!" 

"Deep breaths, Oie," he advised. "Get the anger out now so you don't let loose when he comes to pay us." 

"Does he expect us to pay him for the car?" Casey grumbled. "Because if he does, I just might throw my toolbox at him." 

"Where's your brother? I have a feeling you're about to get murderous," Josue joked. 

"So what if I was? It'd be one less jackass in the world." 

"Murder is illegal, Casey," Tali piped with a stern gaze. "And you're a hero. Heroes can't murder people." 

"I can, it's just frowned upon by society and would land me in prison," Casey replied. 

"Point still stands," Tali stated. "You can't murder the client." 

Casey rolled her eyes. "So, what are we going to do with the car? I mean, it's all fixed up. Not really scrap anymore. It's a decent vehicle." 

"Have you grown fond of it?" Josue asked with a smirk. 

"I'm not fond of it," Casey answered, crossing her arms. "I just think that it'd be a shame to scrap it after all the work we've put into it." 

"She's grown fond of it," Tali replied. "She's doing the thing where she crosses her arms and stares at the ceiling." 

"Ah. The telltale sign of a Casey in denial," Josue teased. 

"I do not have a telltale sign," Casey protested. 

"Do too. You're doing it right now," Tali stated. 

"Just admit you like the car and we'll stop tormenting you," Josue added. 

"Ganged up on by my uncle and my own kwami," Casey huffed. "You know, we have work to do." 

Josue and Tali did not let up on the teasing, not that it really bothered Casey that much. She feigned most of her annoyance. She and Josue got to work, fixing up the priority cars in the Garage. Due to the client's cancellation, Casey and Josue refrained from doing any more work on the beetle, despite that little itch Casey had to finish working on the car. 

Adrien was spending the morning at the mall with Marinette. She had convinced him to do some shopping with her. She had received more new commissions and wanted to pick up more materials, as well as get some things for the start of school. While Adrien wasn't a huge shopping person, he would take any opportunity he had to be with Marinette. He also really liked holding her hand while they walked through the mall. 

"So, what's the first stop, Princess?" Adrien asked. 

"Well, first I've got to stop at the fabric store," Marinette answered. "Clara Nightingale just commissioned me for a new dress and it took forever to figure out what kind of fabric to use, but we figured it out and I need to get a few yards of it. And I need to get some fabric for a new line. Maman and Papa said that since commissions are going so well, I can try and put more of my designs online to sell." 

"That sounds awesome," Adrien replied. "Is it going to be like the line Juleka and I modeled?" 

"No. I think it's going to focus more on the back-to-school trend." 

Marinette glanced away from Adrien and spotted the fabric store. She got excited and dashed over, with Adrien following close behind. Adrien watched as Marinette went through the aisles, examining the selection and muttering to herself about the different textures, patterns and type. Adrien couldn't help but chuckle. It was fun to watch Marinette when she was in a work mode. Marinette spent about thirty minutes going through the fabrics before she found what she was looking for. 

"Now we can go look for stuff for school," Marinette stated. "Are you still going to be in Ms. Bustier's class?" 

"I was hoping to talk to Casey about requesting to be in Ms. Mendeleiev's class," Adrien answered. "I personally don't want to be in a class with Lila for another year and after the whole cheating rumor over the summer, I'm not sure if I should be around the class." 

"That's understandable. At least Max and Nathaniel learned the truth about Lila. Maybe they can talk some sense into everyone else." 

"Yeah. Honestly, I'm hoping Lila just decides to leave me alone," Adrien sighed. "I've realized just how much she makes my skin crawl with not being around her."

"She certainly has that personality," Marinette said with a nod. "I hope you get moved into my class." 

They ventured into one of the stores and started looking at school supplies. Marinette was looking at new notebooks and Adrien was browsing through pens. While they browsed, Adrien spotted an ad for back-to-school clothes. The kids in the ads wore regular t-shirts and hoodies. Adrien glanced down at his own clothes with a small frown. Sure, they weren't formal, he certainly didn't dress like his cousin, Felix, but they weren't really casual either. They were all things from his father's company and the more he looked at his clothes, the more he realized that it wasn't really _him_. 

"Adrien, are you alright?" Marinette asked, pulling him from his thoughts. 

"Yeah, fine," Adrien answered. "Just got a little lost in thought." 

"About anything in particular?" 

"It's nothing," he said with a shrug. "Did you find everything you wanted?" 

Marinette gave him an enthusiastic nod. "I can't wait to take these notebooks home and add some designs to the covers. What about you?" 

"I found some nice pens. I'll probably come back later to get whatever else I need for school." 

"Well, let's check out and then we can go get some lunch." 

"That sounds fantastic." 

Adrien and Marinette found a nice little cafe to eat at. It was nice. If anybody recognized Adrien, they left him alone, which he liked. The media storm surrounding him and Casey had been dying down since the trial finished, so they didn't have to worry about getting mobbed. He and Marinette had time to just sit and enjoy being around one another. They did sneak a little food to Plagg and Tikki. As they were getting to leave the cafe, they ran into someone they really didn't want to see. 

"Adrien! Hi!" Lila called, running up to them. "It's wonderful to see you." 

Adrien carefully moved away from Lila's attempt to hug him and took Marinette's hand. "Hi, Lila." 

Lila noticed the cold tone in Adrien's voice and the fact that he held onto Marinette's hand. She worked hard to keep her anger from showing. 

"I haven't heard from you since-" 

"Since you lied to everyone and accused me of cheating on you," Adrien finished. 

"I was going to say since you moved in with your sister," Lila replied coldly. "But if that's the incident you want to remember." 

"Of course it's the incident we remember," Marintte said sharply. "You set the class on us like dogs." 

"Well, the past is the past. Water under the bridge, right, Adrien?" 

"Not by a long shot," Adrien replied. 

Lila didn't bother to hide her scowl. She was getting very tired of Adrien's continuous defiance. "Careful, Adrien. I could get that sister of yours into some serious trouble. It'd be quite horrible for people to learn that she's really just like your father, controlling you, isolating you." 

Adrien felt his blood boil. Lila was taking a low blow and she knew it. He had the urge to take a page out of Daisy's book and punch her.

"Casey isn't anything like Mr. Agreste," Marinette snapped. "And you don't scare her." 

"She should be scared of me," Lila hissed. "You all should be scared of me." 

"The thing is, we're not," Adrien growled. "You're messing with the wrong family. My little sister already embarrassed you. You don't want to know what my big sister and I can do." 

"What are you talking about?" 

Adrien moved past Lila, pulling Marinette along. "You might remember Daisy. She punched you in the stomach." 

Lila's eyes widened as Adrien and Marinette walked towards the park. Marinette noticed Adrien's scowl and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. Adrien's anger didn't quell until they had left Lila in the dust. 

"So, Daisy punched Lila?" Marinette asked once she felt that Adrien had calmed down. 

Adrien nodded. "It was right after we figured out Casey was in the Miraculous and talked to her. Lila came up to us while were walking to Felice and Josue's place. Lila was being Lila and Daisy punched her hard enough to knock the wind out of her." 

Adrien noticed Marinette stare off into the distance with a smile, probably imaging what it was like when Daisy punched Lila. "Have I mentioned that I absolutely love your sisters?" she asked with a smirk. 

"Once or twice." 

"Well, I do. The three of you are made of steel," Marinette stated. 

"Well, Casey and Daisy are. I'm not so sure I'd use steel to describe me." 

"You are," Marinette replied firmly. "You are one of the strongest people I know. Only you could go through the things you've gone through and still be as kind, compassionate and dorky as you are." 

"Dorky? Me?" Adrien asked, sighing dramatically. "M'Lady, you wound me." 

"You are a giant dork and you know it." 

"Maybe I am, but I'm your dork." 

"Yes. Yes you are," Marinette said with a smile. 

Adrien and Marinette walked over to her house and sat in her room. Adrien laid with his head in Marinette's lap while she sifted through pictures of her designs to post online. She would sometimes show Adrien a picture and ask for his opinion. He would happily tell her that if she made it then it was perfect. It got her to blush and make her cute, little, embarrassed smile every time. He loved that little smile. Actually, he loved every kind of smile she had. Adrien would do anything to always see her smiling. Maybe it was a little sappy, but he was a sap that was in love. 

Adrien's phone buzzed in his pocket, causing him to jump. Marinette laughed at his reaction. 

"Did you get startled, Kitty?" she asked. 

"I forgot it was in my pocket," Adrien admitted, checking his notifications. 

It was a brief text from Casey. 

**Casey: Got a surprise at home**

**Adrien: What kind of surprise?**

****Casey: Come home and you'll find out** **

"Casey's got a surprise back home," Adrien said, putting his phone away. "She's being vague about it." 

"Do you want to go see what it is?" Marinette asked. 

"Yes!" he replied eagerly. 

"Then let's get going." 

Adrien was excited. Casey didn't normally do surprises, so it was certainly new. He and Marinette were dashing down the sidewalk to get to the Garage. His head was buzzing with ideas of what the surprise could be. Some of them were outlandish ideas, like she'd impulsively adopted a pet. He and Marinette dashed to the Garage and Casey was waiting for them with a smirk on her face. 

"What's the surprise?" Adrien asked, trying to catch his breath. 

"You and Marinette ran here in the span of ten minutes," Casey said with a chuckle. "Do I really not surprise you enough?" 

"You were incredibly vague," Marinette replied. "He got excited." 

"I can see that," Casey stated. "Once you catch your breath, follow me." 

Casey walked around to the alleyway. Adrien and Marinette were right on her toes. Casey put her hand over Adrien's eyes before Adrien could see what was in the alley. 

"Hey!" he protested. "Are you going to tell me what it is or not?" 

"I'm going to," Casey replied. "I just want to get your reaction on camera." 

"Oh, you're gonna love this, Adrien," Marinette stated. 

After a moment, Casey uncovered Adrien's eyes. His jaw dropped when he saw what was in the alley. It was a newly repaired beetle. He looked between Casey, who was holding up her phone with a smirk, and the car. 

"Is this-?" 

"Yup," Casey replied. 

"And it's ours?" 

"Yup." 

"This is awesome!" he cheered. "How did you even get it? I thought you were about to give it back to the owner." 

"Well, he called this morning and told us he wanted us to scrap the car because he got a new one," Casey explained. "And most of the repairs were already done, so he still had to come and pay us. Instead of taking the car, he talked with Josue and I, and I offered to take the car off of him. Had to pay for the title transfer, but it was significantly cheaper than buying a car from a lot." 

"She's been spending all of her breaks finishing it," Tali piped. "Hasn't eaten since breakfast." 

"Casey!" Adrien replied, giving his sister a stern look. 

"First, it was a big breakfast and second, I already promised Josue that as soon as I'm off for the day I'll eat something," Casey stated. "I'm not starving myself. And can you blame me? Look at how it turned out. Obviously I'll be taking it to another place to get painted so we might have to wait a week until we can start to drive it around town." 

"We're going to paint it?" 

"Yup. Nice, dark, blue, remember?" 

Adrien did a little happy dance that he may or may not have learned from Daisy. Casey and Marinette couldn't hold back their laughter. Tikki, Plagg and Tali were a bit more subtle and managed to keep their snickers quiet. When Adrien finished celebrating their new car, they went into the Garage. Casey grabbed some sodas for them and got back to work. Adrien and Marinette sat out of the way and chatted with Casey and Josue while they worked. 

Eventually, Marinette had to head home. Josue and Casey closed up the Garage, and the siblings went upstairs. As soon as they got inside the apartment, Adrien pushed Casey into the kitchen and ordered her to eat something. 

Casey chuckled as she grabbed some fruit from the fridge. "I'm fine, Kit-Cat." 

"You've skipped every opportunity to eat something during the day," Adrien argued. "So, I'm not leaving you alone until you eat something." 

"And here I thought I was the one taking care of you," she teased. 

"It goes both ways." 

"What do you want to do for dinner?" Casey asked. "I've got some stuff for pasta, chicken and vegetables, and some broth so I could make soup. Some cold cuts. What are you hungry for?" 

"Chicken soup sounds good." 

"Chicken soup it is." 

Casey got cleaned up and had a snack, then she, Adrien, Plagg and Tali got to work making dinner. While he sliced up some vegetables, Adrien thought back to the posters he'd seen at the mall and what he'd been thinking. He glanced over at Casey, who was waving a spoon at Plagg to keep him from snacking on some of the ingredients laying on the counter. She watched Plagg float onto the island then noticed Adrien's expression. 

"Everything ok, Adrien?" she asked. "You look distracted." 

"Yeah, I was just thinking about something," Adrien replied. 

"Penny for your thoughts?" 

"Well, Marinette and I went to the mall and I just was thinking that maybe...maybe I want to change what I wear," Adrien answered. "I mean, all my clothes are from the company and they don't feel like me." 

"So you want to get some new clothes?" 

Adrien nodded. "Just to try and find something that I like, you know?" 

"I think you deserve more room to be self-expressive," Casey stated. "That being said, I can't buy you a whole new wardrobe in one day. So, let's start by buying two or three new outfits that you can mix and match. That sound good?" 

"That sounds good," Adrien said with a smile. "You think we can go before school?" 

"I'm sure we can work it into when we go school shopping. Once the school year gets going, everything should be completely settled." 

"So, no more bad surprises?" 

"Hopefully," she replied, crossing her fingers. "I'm pretty sure everything that needs to be immediately taken care of has been taken care of." 

"Everything?" Tali piped, giving Casey an unconvinced look. 

"Almost everything," Casey admitted. "The whole asset transfer business is...tricky. I'm being thorough. Don't want any tricks from Gabriel." 

"Are you still planning on going to see him?" Plagg inquired. 

"Yeah. I've filled out the form for permission to visit," Casey replied. "Don't worry, I'm going to keep it strictly business. And Josue's giving me the day off while he looks at other hands to help in the shop and the Garage, so afterwards, I'll be working on the homework Ms. Berger gave me." 

"She gave you homework?" Adrien piped. 

"Just to find some things to help me relax, focus on self-care," Casey explained. "Nothing too big. I'll just be going around town looking to see if there's some kind of hobby I can do. Speaking of hobbies, we need to sort out your extracurriculars, because hell would have to freeze over before I could pay for all those activities." 

"Are there really that many?" Tali asked. 

"Well, without modeling there's...six?" Adrien replied, trying to recall all his activities. 

"Yeah, about that many," Casey stated. "Many of which are crazy expensive. I can probably let you do two. Any preference on which ones you want to keep doing?" 

"Fencing," Adrien answered quickly. "That is my favorite." 

"Then I'll let your fencing instructor know you'll still be in class. Any others?" 

Adrien took a moment to think.Casey waited patiently, adding more stuff to their pot of soup. He didn't really want to keep taking Chinese or Japanese. Those had become a bit tedious since he became fluent. He enjoyed piano, especially when he got to play with Kitty Section and he also really enjoyed basketball. 

"Any chance I can do piano and basketball too?" he asked. 

Casey did a bit of mental math. "Well...playing basketball for the school shouldn't be too expensive. For piano...might take a bit of work. I'm not sure I could pay for private lessons. Also, getting a piano for the apartment will take a few months." 

"Luka has a keyboard I can use, and I'd be happy to help chip in." 

"Are you sure?" Casey asked. "I mean, you've got fencing, basketball and therapy. That's a lot of time and school's about to start. Are you sure you want to add a job to that? That'll be stretching yourself pretty thin." 

"Well, not a _job_ job," Adrien replied. "I mean little weekend stuff, like babysitting, doing yard work, that kind of stuff. That's what my friends do to get money." 

"Alright, you can try you're hand at babysitting. But _only_ on the weekends. Maybe you can do Friday evenings as long as it doesn't conflict with therapy," Casey stated. "And try to limit it to people we know. I don't want you going to some stranger's house." 

"Can pet-sitting be an option too?" 

"I will let you pet-sit," Casey answered. "Same rules still apply. Understood?" 

"Understood," Adrien replied with an affirmative nod. 

Casey and Adrien shared small smiles then returned their attention to their soup. Dinner was finished in no time and they settled down for the evening with some video games and light reading. Adrien had to admit, it had been a really good day. 


	12. Back to School

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien and Marinette go back to school. Adrien and Chloe reveal their new styles. Little Adrienette.

The end of the summer passed in the blink of an eye. Adrien couldn't shake come of the nerves he was feeling at the idea walking into school with his classmates knowing that Gabriel was Hawkmoth. He replayed Ms. Berger's words over in his head like a mantra. _He had friends that wanted to be there for him, that saw him, not Gabriel._ In spite of his nerves, Adrien was still excited to be going back to school, even if Casey hadn't been able to get him into Ms. Mendeleiev's class. She still didn't understand why Mr. Damocles was set on him staying in Ms. Bustier's class, but decided not to push since Adrien told her it wasn't that big of a deal. Whether or not she believed him was debatable. Still, when the first day of school came, Adrien did what any teenager did; he tried to sleep in. 

"Adrien," Casey called, knocking on his door for the third time that morning. "You have to get up." 

"Five more minutes," he replied. 

"You said that ten minutes ago. Get up or I won't be able to give you a ride." 

"Please?" 

Adrien heard Casey let out a sigh. "Adrien, if you don't get up, I will let Tali and Plagg douse you in the coldest water they can possibly get." 

"You wouldn't!"

"I most definitely would," she replied with a sinister chuckle. "Now get up. Your breakfast's getting cold. Besides, aren't you meeting Marinette before school?" 

Adrien pulled himself out of bed and dragged himself to the kitchen. A plate of crepes was waiting at his spot. Casey was pretty good cook, but Adrien had to stifle his laughter at the misshapen crepes. She was at the stove, struggling to flip another one. 

"Is this your first attempt at crepes?" Adrien asked. 

"First time without Mom doing the flipping," Casey answered. 

"Casey Barbereau can handle using a Miraculous from the age of three, being saturated in magic and fighting villains, but she can't flip a crepe?" Adrien teased. 

"I can still throw them," Casey replied, readying her spatula to fling one at Adrien. "You willing to test my aim?" 

Plagg let out a groan. "Please don't start a food fight. It's too early in the morning for this." 

Casey and Adrien exchanged glances. Sure, Plagg wasn't exactly a morning person, he was a cat, after all, but still. He was never _this_ tired. If they had to make a guess, they would think he had stayed up late stuffing his face full of cheese. He'd done it before. 

"If I wasn't an idiot, I might suggest giving you coffee," Adrien stated. 

Tali shook her head. "Never give Plagg coffee." 

"I'd be scared to give him some," Casey said, slipping the crepe onto her plat. "The would probably be worse than giving some to Daisy." 

"It is," Tali assured her. "Any kwami will tell you that." 

Casey and Adrien were left to ponder why someone would have given Plagg caffeine and what exactly the result had been. Tali refused to divulge details and Plagg swore up and down that he didn't remember what had happened. Thankfully, there was not crepe flinging at the table. Adrien finished his breakfast and went to finish getting ready for school while Casey got ready for another day at work. It was a little more hectic than previous mornings, mostly because now there was a set time Adrien had to be out of the house by.

While they got the hang of their school year morning routine, Marinette and Tikki were bright-eyed and ready for the day. Marinette had gotten the hang of time management and found herself not rushing to get out the door. She had picked out a nice pair of jeans and light red blouse to wear for the first day and put her hair into a neat braid, with a little help from Tikki. 

"You seem happy for the first day, Marinette," Tikki commented. 

"I am," Marinette replied. "It's a little weird not being in Ms. Bustier's class, but at the same time, it's nice being in Ms. Mendeleiev's class. Too bad I'm not in class with Adrien, Nino and Alya." 

"I'm sure the four of you will have plenty of time to hang out." 

Marinette quickly glanced at her phone. "We need to get going. Adrien's meeting me before school. I'm sure you and Plagg would like to hang out, too." 

Tikki gave a nod and zoomed into Marinette's bag. As Marinette made her way out the door, she said goodbye to her parents. Tom handed her a box of macaroons for her class. Marinette felt a small sense of deja vu as she made her way to school, only this time, there was no old man to save in the street, no tripping and she wasn't in a rush. Marinette got to the steps of the school and was greeted by Alya. 

"Girl, you look so cute," she said. 

"Thanks, Alya. I thought it'd be nice to do a little more with myself since I had the time." 

"And you're certainly you're not trying to impress a certain beau?" Alya teased. 

Marinette elbowed Alya lightly in the side. "Keep it on the down low," she whispered. "We're still not sure it'd be a good idea to tell people at school yet." 

"I know, I know," Alya replied. "It's just that you two have been my O.T.P for forever." 

"I thought Ladynoir was your O.T.P," Marinette stated. 

"I can have multiple O.T.P's," Alya reasoned. 

"Pretty sure that defeats the purpose of having an O.T.P." 

As Alya and Marinette chatted, they saw Chloe's car pull up. Marinette had chatted with Chloe a handful of times over the summer, mostly over text. First, it had been to congratulate her for going on a date with Adrien, then it was small girl-talk and asking for some fashion advice. Marinette had noticed Chloe trying to change, to be more like Ladybug. It seemed like she might be getting somewhere, but Marinette was still a little wary around her former bully. 

"Whoa," Alya said as Chloe came towards the school. "Talk about a makeover." 

Marinette had no words for the change. Chloe still had her hair in a high ponytail, but that was about the only thing that was still the same. She was wearing a peasant top with long sleeves. It was a pastel yellow, as opposed to the bright, harsh yellow jacket she used to wear and completed the look with black skinny jeans and ballet flats. There was some light make-up that brought out more of her natural features, with some mascara to bring out her eyes. 

"Good morning, Marinette, Alya," Chloe said, her tone polite. 

"Hey, Chloe," Alya replied. "Nice outfit." 

"Thank you. I decided it was time for a change." 

"It's a good change," Marinette stated. 

Chloe gave them a small smile. "Well, I did get a few tips. What I'm most excited for is seeing Adrien's new look. Have either of you seen him?" 

"I was with him and Casey when they went shopping," Marinette answered, a small smirk forming. "He really likes it." 

"Give me the details!" Alya replied with a giddy squeal. "He hasn't told any of us anything!" 

"He wants it to be a surprise," Marinette stated. "I'm not taking away from it." 

"Besides, that's him now," Chloe added, pointing to a dark blue beetle that pulled up to the school. 

They could see Adrien, but they couldn't get a good look at what he was wearing. He and Casey exchanged a few words in the car, then gave each other a hug, then Casey ruffled his hair. As Adrien walked up, Marinette saw Alya and Chloe's jaws drop. Adrien had on a black and green zip-up hoodie with a Jagged Stone shirt underneath. He wore dark blue-jeans and had on a new pair of blue sneakers. 

"Hey, Marinette," Adrien said with a wave. "You look great. Hi, Alya. Nice new look, Chlo. It suits you." 

"Same to you," Chloe replied. "That is certainly a change." 

"You look like a real teenager," Alya commented. "Nino is gonna flip." 

"I'm excited to see what his reaction will be," Adrien admitted. 

"Unfortunately, we do have to get inside," Marinette pointed out. "The bell's going to ring in a few minutes." 

"Yes, yes, go inside," Chloe replied with a little shooing motion. "Do whatever little couple thing it is you want to do." 

Alya's eyes widened. "Wait, you know?" 

"Of course I know," Chloe answered. "I'm his oldest friend. Who do you think he was going to ask to help figure out his first date?" 

"His sisters," Alya deadpanned. 

"Casey was working and Daisy is too young to date," Chloe replied. 

Marinette nodded. "While this is a wonderful discussion, could we lower the voices?" 

"Right. You're staying under the radar," Chloe recalled. "Well, off you go." 

Marinette and Adrien listened and walked inside. There were some people milling around the main area, catching up with friends. Thankfully, the locker room was deserted. Adrien stood by Marinette's locker as she stored some of her books. 

"I think that was a successful little endeavor," Adrien stated. 

"You turned more than a few heads," Marinette replied. "Everyone was thoroughly surprised."

"So, what do you want to do today?" 

Marinette hummed. "Do you have anything to do during lunch?" 

"Nope," Adrien answered.

"We could head to a nearby cafe," Marinette suggested. "Or we could go hunting for Andre's ice cream." 

"I like both of those options." 

"We don't have enough time in one lunch break to do both." 

"We could if we ran," Adrien replied. "Or swing. I'm not particular." 

She let out a small laugh. "We'll see. It all depends on what the wait at the cafe is like." 

"Fair enough." 

"We should head to class." Marinette gave Adrien a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you at lunch." 

"See you at lunch," he replied, his cheeks flushing. 

Marinette walked into class and was greeted by Aurore, Mireille and Marc. While she had the chance, Marinette passed out the macaroons, then joined in the conversation about her summer. Aurore and Mireille had been working together on the weather and Marc had been writing more than ever to finish the comic book series with Nathaniel. 

"We've been trying to figure out how to approach Hawkmoth's defeat," Marc said, drumming his fingers on his journal. "It's...well it's a delicate situation. We don't want to be insensitive to anybody, but at the same time, it's the culmination of everything Ladybug and Chat Noir have been working towards. It's the climax of everything. I keep getting massive writer's block with it." 

"How have you been trying to approach it?" Aurore inquired. 

"Well, we've tried coming up with a different way to set up the battle and maybe give Hawkmoth an alternate secret identity and motive," he explained. "It caused a lot of trouble for Adrien. We don't want him to think it's something we take lightly." 

"Why don't you talk to him," Mireille suggested. "If you ask for his input, I'm sure he'd appreciate it." 

Marc glanced over at Marinette. "Would you mind asking him for us, Marinette? The two of you are really close and-" 

"I'll ask him about it," Marinette replied. "But, maybe hold off on writing that particular arc for a while. Those events, they're still pretty fresh for everybody. Is there anything else you and Nathaniel can work on?" 

"We have been looking to expand to some of the reserve heroes. Write a few stories about Rena Rouge and Carapace, Queen Bee, maybe some about Esprit." 

"That's a great idea," Aurore squealed. "Rena Rouge is one of my favorite heroes."

"I've always liked Vipereon," Mireille piped. "He and Esprit are some of my favorites. What about you, Marinette?" 

Marinette gave a shrug. "I don't think I could pick. Personally, my favorite hero is Chat, but he's not exactly a reserve hero." 

"There's been a bit of debate about whether Esprit counts as a reserve hero or not. It's a little unclear whether Ladybug gave her her Miraculous or not," Marc stated. "I think my favorite of the reserves has to be Carapace." 

While Marinette settled in with her class, Adrien wasn't having as much of a good time with his. When he got inside the classroom, he was met with sympathetic stares and many versions of 'i'm sorry', which was fine with him. It showed that they cared, but no one really gave him much beyond that. He took his seat in the front and waited for Nino to show up. Seeing Nino's reaction to his new clothes certainly brightened his morning. Nino's eyes got so wide that Adrien thought they would pop out of his head. 

"Dude, love the new threads," Nino said, plopping down next to him. 

"Thanks. Casey and Marinette helped me pick them out." 

A lot of his classmates perked up at the mention of his sister. Adrien hadn't really talked to them much after Lila's whole scandal, so he hadn't told them anything about her. He noticed Lila's glare from the back of the room.

"How is it living with your sister, Adrien?" Alix asked. "We've only really seen her from pictures in the news. She looks kind of strict." 

"No, Casey's far from it," Adrien replied. "She just got irritated every time the press showed up." 

"There were some pictures of her glaring at a bunch of people outside the ice rink," Kim stated. "She looked ready to kill." 

"Yeah...we got mobbed by some people and our little sister kind of got caught in the crowd." 

"You have two?" Rose piped. 

Adrien gave a small nod. "Her name's Daisy. She's eleven." 

Max started typing away on his phone. "Wow. The three of you look nothing a like," he commented. "You would think there would be shared traits between at least two of you." 

"Casey and I take after our moms, and Daisy looks more like her dad." 

"But doesn't Casey act more like your dad, Adrien?" Lila asked sweetly. "I mean, you've quit modeling, you haven't really talked to anyone all summer, it's been difficult to even find a mention of you in a magazine these days." 

Muttering erupted between some of the class. Adrien tried hard to keep himself from glaring. Everyone else in the class glanced at him and he noticed that they looked concerned, never mind that he just told them Casey was laid back when it came to restrictions. 

"Casey has never made a decision for me without my input," Adrien replied firmly. "She asked if I wanted to keep modeling and I told her no, and she's been trying to keep me out of the spotlight to make the transition easier." 

"That makes sense," Max interjected. "She seems to take your well-being very seriously. She did come all the way back from England to take you in." 

Adrien shot Max a grateful smile. At least one good thing came out of Lila's little cheating scandal. She had lost Max and Nathaniel as pawns. That meant she would have a harder time getting people to hound on him and Marinette. Maybe Max would be able to talk sense into Kim and Nathaniel could talk to the art club and then word could spread through the class. Adrien's mind started firing with a plan. He was done dealing with Lila for the year. 

"Of course. You just can't be too careful," Lila stated. "I mean, we wouldn't want Adrien to end up in a horrible home situation." 

"Thank you for your concern, Lila," Adrien said innocently. "But I'm perfectly happy with my sister. After all, I'm a part of her family now." 

Before the conversation could morph into anything else for Lila to twist, Ms. Bustier came in and welcomed the class back for another school year. She then began with compliment pairs. Adrien kept himself focused on the lesson. There was the occasional joke that he shared with Nino, but other than that, he was a model student. The first lesson ended rather quickly, with students filing down to the main area for P.E. Adrien was about to follow when Ms. Bustier called for him to stay back for a brief moment. 

"Is there a problem, Ms. Bustier?" Adrien asked. 

"Not at all, Adrien," she assured him. "I merely wanted to tell you that I know your summer has been particularly difficult. I was glad to hear that you are happy with your sister, and I hope you are receiving all the support you need at home. However, if you ever need a little extra support, don't be afraid to ask myself or any of the other staff members." 

"Thanks, Ms. Bustier. I'll keep that in mind." 

Ms. Bustier gave him a warm smile. "I hope you enjoy your first day back. Now, go join the rest of the class. I'm sure they're waiting up for you." 

Adrien was encouraged by Ms. Bustier's offer. It helped him remember that people weren't judging him because of what Gabriel had done. He was still Adrien in their eyes, not Hawkmoth's son. It made it easier to join his class again. 

He would like to say that the rest of the day passed without incident. That he was able to go to class and ignore whatever tall tales Lila told in between classes, but that would be a bigger lie than her claiming to be Ladybug's B.F.F. Lila did not stop, and apparently she'd learned the art of incorporating small bits of truth into her lies. For example: Lila claimed that she was one of the models in line for being the next image of Gabriel, the brand and was a muse for one of the designers who had taken over. While it was true, Lila was a model for the company, she was _far_ from being a top model. Adrien should know. He'd had to work with her on multiple occasions, none of them ending well because the girl was _terrible_ at taking direction from anyone. Now, Adrien could very well just speak up and say she was about as likely to be the next top model as Danny DeVito, but, any time Lila opened her mouth, he got quite a number of dirty looks from his classmates and he doubted saying anything like that would get him in their good graces. 

Naturally, he was thankful when lunch came around. He met Marinette outside of the school and off they went. The cafe Marinette had picked out was small, cozy and quaint. Adrien liked it. As soon as they sat down, Adrien let out a sigh. 

"I know that sigh," Marinette said with a frown. "What did Lila do?" 

"The usual," Adrien replied. "Homeroom, tried to get people to think Casey was as bad as my father." 

Marinette's eyes narrowed dangerously. "She did what?" 

"Max and I put a stop to it," Adrien assured her. "No one's going to be doubting Casey for awhile. Then she started spouting tales about what she did overseas in America, hanging out with big-name musicians and how she's in line to be the next top model at the company and she's the top designer's muse." 

"Isn't the new top designer in his thirties? That implies something kind of creepy. She said the same thing about Jagged too." 

"Yup. I'm not putting up with this for another school year. I won't. Thankfully, I've got a plan...or, part of a plan," Adrien stated. 

Marinette leaned forward. "Do tell. I'm ready for her tower of lies to come tumbling down." 

"So, we've got Max and Nathaniel on our side now," Adrien explained. "Well, if we get Max and Nathaniel to start poking holes in her stories and spreading word around to everyone else in the class, they start doubting her. Lila can't read a room even if she's the only person in it, so chances are, she won't notice it. When she tells a lie that goes too far again-" 

"Everyone jumps on her," Marinette finished. "Great plan. We just need to make sure everything is subtle. If people start making it obvious that they're not buying it, she'll just do what she did when she first got back. Spin the situation to make it look like she's a victim." 

"Yeah. We should probably talk to everybody about the plan," Adrien replied. "Than we can make sure it's coordinated. But we can sort it all out later. How was your morning?" 

"It was pretty nice. I got to share the macaroons with my class, and Aurore, Mireille, Marc and I had an interesting conversation regarding the reserve heroes. Apparently, Marc and Nathaniel are going to make some comics focusing on them, Esprit included." 

"Casey's gonna love that," Adrien stated with a smirk. 

"I'll bet she'd like the comics they've already written," Marinette replied. "Minus some _slight_ inaccuracies." 

"You mean like Ladybug having a crush on Evillistrator?" he teased. 

"Maybe. The idea's kind of phased out of the story now, though," she said with a small laugh. "I think they're taking some input from the people who read it and like LadyNoir." 

"You know, technically, that wouldn't be a huge inaccuracy," Adrien pointed out. 

"No, it wouldn't." 

The two shared knowing smiles. They drifted away from the topic of their secret identities and talked about their hobbies. Adrien was happy to inform Marinette that he would just be doing fencing and basketball. Marinette promised to show up to at least two of his games, which he appreciated. Marinette also told him that Jagged was going to have another concert in Paris soon and was giving her two tickets to the show. It was still a few weeks in the future, but Adrien was already excited for it. 

Unfortunately, they didn't have time to go hunting for Andre's ice cream cart. The walk back to the school was nice. Adrien enjoyed going down the sidewalk, able to hold Marinette's hand. He didn't want to let go as they got closer to the school. Unfortunately, it still wasn't a good time for their relationship to become common knowledge, not with Lila lurking around to make trouble. He at least felt a little better knowing that they were getting ready to deal with her once and for all.


	13. Visit

Casey did not like what was about to happen. Not. One. Bit. She had gotten Adrien up and ready for school, dropped him off and then went back home to find that she had gotten a letter with permission to visit Gabriel. Everything in her screamed to just throw it away, forget about him and get on with her life. Tali convinced her otherwise. Casey couldn't spend therest of her life running away from everything involving Gabriel. It just wasn't a healthy coping mechanism. 

"Why does therapy have to get me to recognize my unhealthy habits?" Casey grumbled. "I would be perfectly content ignoring his existence." 

Tali perched on Casey's shoulder. "You would not be content and you know it. And you said you'd do this to make sure he couldn't blindside you or Adrien with anything regarding his assets." 

"You know, I hate it when you're right," Casey stated. 

"I'm well aware of that."

Casey let out a sigh and shook her head. "Give me an hour or two to get mentally prepared for this." 

Tali didn't complain about Casey's need for time. She spent that time working on some car models and reading one of her favorite childhood books, _Matilda_. It wasn't enough for Casey to really feel relaxed and ready for what she was about to do, but she pushed the nerves aside. Tali's words of encouragement were the only thing that kept her from turning the car around as she drove to the prison. If Casey had been on her own, she wouldn't have made it past the first stoplight. 

The prison staff were serious about making sure Casey was following all the rules. She signed in, gave them her fingerprints and her I.D, let them pass her under a metal detector and pat her down. They certainly weren't joking about making sure Casey didn't have anything to smuggle in. One of the guards led her to the visitation area. It was a lot more stifling than t.v shows made it seem. It made Casey feel claustrophobic. Gabriel was already sitting on one side of the glass. He looked as composed and put together as he had in the courtroom. Not a single hair was out of place. She sat down and picked up the phone, with Gabriel mirroring her actions. 

"Why are you here?" Gabriel asked. 

"Simple. I want to talk to you about your assets," Casey answered. 

"What is there to talk about? I transferred them to Adrien and you are merely keeping them in order until he can claim them." 

"Well, maybe I don't trust you. Maybe I think you're playing some kind of game and I want to make sure you don't have the opportunity to rope Adrien and I into it even more." 

"That is quite a paranoid assumption to make." 

"Not when it comes to you," Casey snapped. "You have a plan for everything, and this is no exception. So, wanna tell me why you transferred the assets to Adrien, knowing full well that I would end up having to keep them?" 

"I am ensuring that Adrien will have everything he requires while in your care and that he has his career in order." 

"Bold of you to assume that he wants a career in the fashion industry." 

"He is my son," Gabriel stated. "He knows what is expected of him." 

"Your expectations no longer apply." 

"Do you really believe he can find another career more sufficient than the one he has cultivated as a model?" Gabriel asked. "It is only natural that he continues in the industry." 

"He isn't modeling anymore." 

Gabriel's gaze hardened. "What?" he hissed. "How could you do that?! He has always been the face of the Gabriel Brand! You will ruin my legacy! How-?!" 

"Let me stop you right there," Casey interjected, glaring back at Gabriel. "First, Adrien didn't want to model anymore and I'm not going to force him to for the sake of _your_ legacy. Second, given how much you had him working, you're lucky I didn't report your company for violation of child labor laws." 

"Everything Adrien did at the company was perfectly legal." 

"Oh yeah, because it's definitely legal to give a _child_ three hours of free time a week. And I haven't even gotten started on your choice of modeling partners. Are you really that oblivious or did you just not care enough to get Adrien away from her?" 

"What are you talking about?" 

"I'm talking about you pairing _Lila Rossi_ of all people, with Adrien for shoots. Adrien's told me about her and just how slimy she is," Casey said, trying to keep her voice from rising. "And I called the photographer and staff that worked with her. Were you even aware that she is a predator in the making?" 

"Lila Rossi is a valuable asset to the Gabriel team," Gabriel replied. "You could not possibly understand-" 

"Don't tell me what I can and can't understand, because I've heard a lot of people say that and I'm sick of it," Casey snapped. "Lila Rossi is an attention seeker of the worst kind, who has no regard for anyone else's boundaries. Anyone with an ounce of respect for themselves or for Adrien would have fired her after the first shoot. And need I bring up the fact that you had her spying on _your own son_?" 

"That was a necessary action! Adrien is young and naive and knows nothing about those who would seek to use him!" Gabriel protested. 

"So you had the person that wants to use him the most become your informant?" Casey retorted. "Yeah, that's a real smart idea. Why bother asking him what he's doing at school when you can just let someone who wants to use him for her own selfish reasons spy on him for you? Great logic. A+ parenting at work. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you just wanted her around to make akumas."

Gabriel had no response for Casey's last comment and averted his gaze. He looked like he'd just been outed as Hawkmoth all over again. Gears started turning in Casey's brain. She remembered tidbits of testimonies that Adrien had told her involved Lila. 

Casey's eyes widned. "You...prick!" she snapped. "Do you have any idea what kind of situation Adrien could have gotten into if he didn't have friends to help him get away from Lila?! Do you have any idea how _damaging_ that could have been?!" 

"I needed stronger akumas. He would have understood that it was for us." 

"Stop hiding behind my brother's family and own up to everything you've done," she snarled. "You blatantly ignored someone that was a threat to my brother's well-being in favor of creating stronger akumas to terrorize people. You keep surprising me with just how low you'll stoop to get what you want." 

"Would you have let go of your sister if she'd used a damaged Miraculous?" 

"I would have gotten therapy like a normal person, instead of taking it out on innocent people on the off chance that I could bring her back," Casey stated. "Did you even feel sorry that you were using all those people? That you nearly killed children, one of them being your own son? Or do you just regret getting caught?" 

Gabriel was left silent again, though he glared at Casey through the glass. She felt like vomiting. Gabriel was a broken man who refused to admit the truth. Casey realized that Gabriel would never feel an ounce of actual regret for anyone he hurt. He would continue to believe that he had done the right thing, that because it was for his wife that it was justifiable. How could someone like her mother or Adrien's mother find anything redeemable in that man? 

"You're a psychopath," Casey said sharply. "Emilie would be disgusted by you, and so am I." 

"How dare you bring Emilie into this?!" 

"You brought her into it first," Casey snarled. "Enjoy your life sentence in prison." 

"I demand that I see my son," Gabriel said quickly. 

"You don't have room to demand anything. I'm not bringing Adrien anywhere near you." 

"I will see my son. And when I do, he will understand that you are the reason everything fell apart, that you are nothing but a disease." 

"Go rot in Hell, Gabriel," Casey replied, hanging up the phone. 

A guard escorted Gabriel back to his cell and another accompanied Casey to the exit. She sat in her car for a moment, resting her head against the top of the steering wheel. Her mind buzzed from all that had happened. The conversation was on repeat in her head. She tried to calm down the pounding in her head. Casey felt nothing but fury. What was she supposed to tell Adrien? He'd ask and Casey would not withhold information from him, but to tell him that Gabriel knew about Lila's behavior the entire time and didn't care? Adrien still believed that, in some twisted, unhealthy way, that Gabriel still cared about him. How could Casey shatter that? They'd made so much progress. 

"Why the hell did I decide to come?" Casey grumbled. 

"You had to give yourself a little more peace of mind," Tali replied. 

"Well, it didn't help. Now all I've got is information that would devastate Adrien more than anything." 

"Yes, what you learned about Gabriel was...troubling, but now you know that you can take responsibility of the money and the company without being afraid that there's some master plan behind it," Tali pointed out. "And you did something incredibly strong, Casey. You faced Gabriel and you held yourself together, you refused to let him make excuses for his actions." 

"I think you're making it sound more impressive than it was," Casey replied. "I would've started yelling if I hadn't been worried about getting kicked out." 

Casey sat up with a small sigh. Tali patted her hand. Casey was grateful for Tali's support. She was a little surprised that she wasn't a total train wreck. 

"Worry about what you'll tell Adrien when the conversation comes up," Tali advised. "Right now, you're drained. Let's get some lunch and then you can head home and relax for a little." 

Casey gave a small nod. "Good idea. And we can work on what finding a good stress reducer like Ms. Berger said." 

As much as Casey may have wished for that to get her mind off of her conversation with Gabriel, it didn't, at least, not for as long as she would've liked. Despite her and Tali's best efforts, it was constantly stuck on loop in her head. Casey really didn't know what to do with herself, she just knew she had a lot of anger boiling inside of her and she had to get it out. When she entered her apartment, she tried pacing, but it didn't help. As she walked around, she spotted a soccer ball and got an idea. 

Casey took her ball to the park near Adrien's school. She didn't really do much. She just kicked it at a tree and let it bounce back at her. It was effective, although a little unfair to the poor tree. Casey managed to kick it for a few minutes before she kicked it too high and it got caught in the branches. Casey didn't think twice about climbing into the tree to retrieve her ball. She dropped the ball down and was about to follow when she heard an 'ow'. There was a boy, around her age with bright, orange hair. 

"Sorry," Casey called down, jumping from her branch. "Didn't see you." 

"How'd you get a soccer ball stuck up in that tree?" he asked, handing Casey her ball. 

"Was kicking it against the tree and kicked it a little too high," she answered. 

"That seems a little lonely." 

"I just came to get rid of some energy," Casey stated. "Wasn't really looking for anybody to play." 

"Well, now you found somebody. I'm Arthur Page," he replied, offering her a handshake. 

"Casey Barbereau," she said, taking the handshake. 

"You look familiar, Casey. Have I seen you before?" 

Casey quickly shook her head. "I just have one of those faces."

"Ah, well. So, are you up for a soccer partner?" Arthur asked. "Or would you prefer to keep abusing that poor tree?" 

Casey glanced between Arthur and the ball. "Sure. Let's play." 

Arthur was a pretty good soccer player. He certainly kept Casey on her toes. He tried to make small talk as they passed the ball back and forth. Casey learned that Arthur was a middle child, with one older and younger brother, was in Paris to study architecture and apparently had an obsession with the architect Robert Mallet-Stevens. In return, Casey mentioned that she was the oldest of three and had spent her life living in France and England. Eventually, they tired themselves out and took a break on one of the benches. 

"So, Casey, what brought you all the way back to Paris?" Arthur asked. "Are you going to school here?" 

Casey shook her head. "Family." 

Arthur looked at Casey with a curious expression. Casey suddenly felt the need to put some distance between them. "Were you running away from family or running to it?" 

"I'm sorry, what?" 

"Well, it's just, when you said family, you were so...jumbled." 

"What are you talking about?" Casey asked, scooting away from him. 

Arthur's eyes widened and he cringed. "Sorry. That was a bit out of line to ask, wasn't it? I mean, we're strangers, we literally just met, but you had so many mixed feelings when you said it and I couldn't help it-" 

"Are you reading my mind or something?" Casey said, trying to make a joke. 

"No, sorry," Arthur stammered. "I just...I do this thing where I can look at someone and know what they're feeling and when it changes and...you're smiling. You don't think it's weird?" 

"It's called being an empath," Casey stated, her posture relaxing. "That's not new to me. I'm guessing you don't really explain that to people a lot, do you?" 

"Well, empathy plus my social ineptitude kind of turns people away," Arthur explained sheepishly. "I tend to say the wrong thing and then I get flustered and then people just think I'm really weird and then I start fumbling with my words and I'm rambling now. Wonderful. " 

"You're fine," Casey assured him. "I don't mind when people start to ramble. Means I don't have to say as much." 

Arthur turned his head and looked at Casey a little bit like a confused puppy. She had no idea how to react to it. His eyes widened. 

"Wait, I know where I saw you from! You were in the news with that model boy!" Arthur exclaimed. "You're-!" 

Casey quickly put a hand over his mouth. "Not so loud," she hissed. "I don't exactly like advertising information like that." 

"Sorry," Arthur replied once Casey removed her hand. "I just finally placed your face. Although I get why you probably don't go around advertising that. I know I wouldn't. Wait...wasn't your hair blonde in the newspapers? Not that you look bad as a red head. I mean, it's a nice hair color for you, a lot darker than my hair-" 

"I dye it," Casey answered, stopping Arthur from going off on a tangent. 

"That's nice. I don't think I'd have the courage to dye my hair. Personally, I think I'm really only meant to be a ginger." 

"Whatever floats your boat, I guess," Casey replied, checking the time on her phone. "Well, I gotta go. My brother gets out of school in a minute." 

"Can I give you my number?" Arthur asked. "I mean...it was nice playing soccer with you and all, and you're pretty cool, so if you wanted-" 

"Sure," she said, finding Arthur's habit of rambling a little endearing. "If I'm ever at the park again, then at least I'll have someone to call if I need a soccer partner." 

Arthur eagerly pulled a crumpled piece of paper and a pencil out of his pocket. He scribbled down his number and Casey made her way over to the school. Students started filing out and she spotted Adrien with Marinette, Alya and Nino. As soon as he saw Casey, Adrien ran down to hug her. 

"How was your first day back?" Casey asked. 

"It was alright," Adrien replied. "Classes look like they'll be pretty easy this year." 

"Good. No homework?" 

"Not today."

"Nice." 

"We'll see you tomorrow, dude," Nino piped, waving as he and Alya headed towards their homes.

"Bye guys," Adrien replied, returning the wave. 

"I've gotta go too," Marinette stated. "Unfortunately, I _did_ get some homework and it's not going to do itself." 

"See you tomorrow," Adrien said, giving Marinette a small farewell wave. 

"And we should probably get home, too," Casey replied. "You wanna tell me about your day?" 

Adrien talked the whole walk home. Casey was happy to learn that more of his classmates weren't listening to Lila anymore and that Adrien wasn't rolling over while she tried to lie. The thought of Adrien planning the girl's downfall made her proud. Maybe it shouldn't have, but in her opinion, it was high time Lila learned the consequences of her actions. She was also happy to hear that Ms. Bustier and his other teachers were ready to extend a hand in support should he ever need it. 

"What about you?" Adrien asked as they entered the apartment. "Did you do anything?" 

Casey took a deep breath. "I...went to the prison. You might want to sit down." 

Casey sat with Adrien on the couch, searching for the right words to say. She gave a summary of her conversation with Gabriel, modifying a few parts just to keep them from sounding as harsh as they were. Even so, Adrien could tell she was holding back on just how bad the conversation had been. Casey saw how his shoulders began to shake and he kept his gaze on the floor. Casey rubbed circles on his back, ready for whatever reaction he could have. Plagg and Tali watched from the coffee table, exchanging concerned glances with Casey. 

"I'm sorry, Adrien," Casey said, trying to keep her voice from cracking. "I...I couldn't just hide the fact that I went to see him. Not when I promised I'd be open with you." 

"Why is he like this?" Adrien asked, his voice shaking. "Why can't he just love me? Why am I only important when he needs an excuse for something?" 

Casey's heart broke. She wrapped her arms around Adrien and held him tightly. "I don't know why he is the way he is. But I want you to know that you are not just someone to be used as an excuse. You are important, every minute of every day and you are loved by so many people. I know it's not the same, and it doesn't take away the pain. Just remember that you're not alone." 

"Casey." 

"Yeah, Kit-Cat?" 

"I'm never going to think you're a disease," Adrien stated. "You're the best big sister I could've ever asked for." 

"And you're the best little brother," Casey replied softly. "I love you, Adrien." 

"I love you too."


	14. Scheming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update. I got swamped yesterday with a ton of stuff to do and then I couldn't figure out what to do with this chapter. As a result, it's a little shorter. Still, I hope you enjoy!

Adrien was pretty sluggish the next day. His mind just wasn't in what he was doing. Everything Casey had said about her visit with Gabriel was stuck in his thoughts and he wasn't entirely sure what he was feeling. Sometimes he was angry, sometimes he was upset and other times he was just...apathetic. He just couldn't fathom how his father could have been that twisted. His father, the man who claimed that he only ever did anything in Adrien's best interest, had let Lila stick around for the sake of making akumas.

Casey and Plagg did their best to help him through the morning. Plagg didn't whine for cheese or complain about anything. Casey gave Adrien the little pushes he needed to get through his morning routine, she even offered to let him take a day if he needed it. Adrien adamantly refused and Casey didn't offer a second time. As bad as Adrien felt, seeing his friends would make him feel better, he knew it. And today was his first basketball practice. He didn't want to miss it. As they were heading out the door, Casey handed him a travel mug filled with coffee to help lift his spirits. 

Marinette was worried when she saw Adrien arrive at school. His shoulders were slumped and he didn't smile as big when he greeted people. Marinette knew that something had happened between yesterday and this morning. The first thought she had was that something big must have happened to upset him. The second thought was 'where's the akuma?' Of course, she knew there were no more akumas, but they'd gone on for so long and it was a hard habit to shake. As Adrien got closer, she reached out and took his hand. 

"Adrien, are you alright?" she asked quietly. 

"I don't want to talk about it right now," Adrien replied. 

Marinette had a momentary internal debate about whether she should ask him again or if she shouldn't push him. Seeing just how tired he was up close, she decided it was best to wait until he was ready to talk about it. 

"What do you want to talk about?" she asked. 

Adrien took a moment to think. "Tell me about your night." 

So that was what Marinette did. She told him about how she'd helped her parents in the bakery, did homework, played some video games with her dad and worked on some of her designs. Adrien listened attentively, occasionally taking a sip of coffee. His smile didn't get much bigger, but it did take his mind off of everything from yesterday, just for a little. 

Eventually, the bell rang and they had to split for class. Adrien settled next to Nino. If Nino noticed Adrien's mood, he didn't comment on it, which Adrien appreciated. He wasn't ready to talk about everything just yet. What really made his mood tank was when Lila sat down next to Alya. He could practically feel her staring at him and it made his skin crawl. Apparently, even after all of their interactions over the summer, she still hadn't gotten the message. He was grateful that he was out of her reach as long as she was in the row behind him. Unfortunately, he could hear her whispering. 

"Adrien seems so tired. Do you think he's getting enough sleep?" 

"He's fine, Lila," Alya replied.

"I'd just hate for him to be going through something alone," Lila stated. 

"He's not alone. Adrien has a lot of people that care for him." 

Lila continued to whisper to Alya, and Adrien had to guess anyone in their immediate vicinity could hear her too. He could hear Alya's voice getting more tense with each response she gave. Lila kept trying to start something by implying that his current mood could have resulted from a million things. Some involved him sneaking out because he must've had a fight at home, or that he was working well into the night since 'his sister's income is so limited. I mean, mechanics don't make much, do they?' 

Lila let out a dramatic gasp. "Alya, what if his father is contacting him? Maybe-" 

"Lila, we can all hear you," Adrien interjected. "And I would appreciate it if you didn't gossip about me." 

"Oh, I'm sorry, Adrien," Lila replied sweetly. "I was just concerned. We've never really seen you this tired." 

"While that's touching, I would appreciate a more direct approach, as opposed to whispering right behind me," Adrien stated, masking his ire with fake sweetness of his own. 

The class glanced between Adrien and Lila, though Adrien noticed a few glares among the group. Lila wordlessly pulled out her notebooks and set herself up for class, effectively ending the conversation. Adrien turned back around and focused on the front. An uneasy silence filled the classroom, and it stayed until Ms. Bustier walked in. The teacher could tell something had happened before her arrival. Her gaze kept darting over to Lila. Adrien had to wonder what Ms. Bustier was thinking. Did she think Lila was the cause of the unease or did she believe that whatever had happened involved someone targeting Lila? If it was the former, then maybe there was hope for Ms. Bustier to help in ending Lila's web of lies. 

Somehow, Adrien managed to focus on the lessons until lunch. As he was packing up his bag, his phone buzzed. 

**Marinette: Hey. Can you get Alya, Nino, Max and Nathaniel to Ms. Mendeleiev's room? I think it's time to start moving along with your plan**

**Adrien: Sure. Did something happen?**

**Marinette: I'll explain when you guys get here**

Adrien turned to Nino, who was waiting for him. "Can you and Alya get to Ms. Mendeleiev's room? Mari said to meet her there." 

"Sure, dude," Nino answered. "You coming too?" 

<

"Yeah, I just need to grab Max and Nathaniel." 

Luckily, Nathaniel hadn't left the classroom, so Adrien was able to go up to his seat and tell him that Marinette wanted them to meet up. Tracking down Max proved to be a slight challenge. Kim was not so helpful, giving Adrien a bit of a cold response when he asked where he could find Max. He looked in the locker room, the main area, empty classrooms and finally found Max in the library. When they got to Ms. Medeleiev's room, Marinette, Alya, Nino, Nathaniel, Marc, Mireille and Aurore were there. 

"You finally found him," Marinette said with a smile. "Great. That means we can get down to business." 

"I'm a little confused," Nathaniel replied. "What is this about?" 

"Lila," Aurore answered. "We thought she was bad last year, but she's really out for blood this year." 

"What did she do?" Adrien asked, sitting next to Marinette. 

"She's whipping everyone in the other classes into a frenzy," Marc explained. "And not just in our grade. She's trying to sink her hooks into the younger classes too." 

"It's bad," Mireille stated. "We thought your class was gullible? The other grades think she's a real life Supergirl. And she's really trying to stretch out the whole cheating thing. She's turning it into a real soap opera. Says you and her were so close to going public, but she was still having doubts and wouldn't commit so you went to Marinette and yada yada yada." 

"So it's a really bad time to admit you guys are dating now, isn't it?" Alya asked. 

Everyone else's eyes widened. Mireille and Aurore let out delighted squeals. Marc, Nathaniel and Max gaped at them, as if the revelation had just broken their brains. 

"Thanks, Al," Marinette deadpanned. "That's exactly how we wanted to tell people." 

"Sorry, girl," Alya replied sheepishly. "It just kind of slipped out." 

"Ohmygosh! You guys are dating!" Aurore shrieked, clapping her hands. "That's wonderful!" 

"Yeah, but we're keeping it quiet," Marinette stated, motioning for Aurore to contain herself. 

"Right. Sorry," she replied. 

"It makes sense that you would not want it to be public knowledge," Max piped after fully processing the information. "I suppose, given recent events, it would have been incredibly stressful." 

"Yeah, and with Lila writing her little soap opera, it wouldn't be best for us to tell everyone about it," Adrien explained. "Don't want to give that lie even more fuel." 

"So, what exactly are we going to do about Lila?" Nathaniel asked. 

"Well, we were hoping you and Max could help out on that front," Marinette answered. "The class has kind of lost faith in Adrien and I, so they wouldn't listen to us, but if you and Max start subtly pointing out problems with Lila's stories, they could start to doubt her." 

"And the next time she tells a lie that's too big, she'll get caught. It'll explode in her face," Adrien finished. 

Max and Nathaniel paused to consider Adrien's plan. Obviously, he wasn't expecting them to be on board right away. Lila was good at ostracizing people. If she caught on, then they'd be incredibly isolated. 

"I will help," Max stated. "I am getting tired of seeing my friends played for fools." 

"Me too," Nathaniel replied. "How do we get started?" 

While they cooked up their plan, Lila was surrounded by a crowd of students, detailing a visit to America and the many celebrities she met. The absence of Alya and Nino did not escape her attention. Lila wasn't sure why, but Alya was no longer as dutiful and _helpful_ as she had been when Lila first returned. The wannabe reporter was now more of a nuisance than anything, and her boyfriend was just as bad, though Lila didn't consider him a high priority. Lila also made note of the absence of Max and Nathaniel. She was hoping she could've told Nathaniel about meeting Frank Miller and Stan Lee and helped them come up with new ideas for the latest comic stories. Those were big names in comics, at least, that's what her google search said. With any luck, it would've given her a way to convince Nathaniel to detail the adventures of Volpina. She was sick of reading those stupid Ladybug adventures he and his partner kept writing. Still, she dropped the names and hoped word would get around. Then she'd have Nathaniel at her beck and call. 

She moved on from comics and went to music. She noticed a lot of _geeky_ kids in the crowd, wearing stuff for Star Wars, Star Trek and the like. She worked hard to keep her face from showing disgust. She hated geeks. They were so pathetic. In her opinion, they needed to get a life. At the same time, there was another name she vaguely remembered being huge in American films for composing for stuff like that. 

"Oh, and I got to meet up with a long time family friend. John Williams," Lila stated, getting everyone to drop their jaws. "Yes, he's absolutely wonderful. I helped him compose stuff for Star Wars. He used my music for the third movie. He said I had a wonderful talent for it." 

Lila was sure she had them all wrapped around her finger. Oh, how easy it was to delude poor, insignificant people. As she continued to spin her web, she caught sight of Nathaniel and his partner...what was his name? Matt? Miles?...something with an M, talking to Alix. It shouldn't have surprised her. The three of them were in the art club. Lila's brain lit up with an idea. If she remembered correctly, Marinette was part of the art club, which meant that it would crush Marinette to be pushed away from her fellow artists. Lila just needed a way in. Lila also realized that she needed a new way to be near Adrien after school hours. After all, how was she supposed to get him to finally give up if they were never around each other in a setting where she could manipulate him? What _was_ Adrien doing outside of school now? 


	15. Bad Idea

During her study hall, Lila was able to figure out that Adrien was joining the basketball team. She would never understand why anyone would like doing something that just led to them being sweaty and gross. If Adrien's father knew that he was playing for the school, he'd probably protest. Lila really wished that Mr. Agreste was still in charge. Then she could at least weasel her way into things, and there was the added bonus of getting akumas, but she never mentioned that to anybody. She didn't want to end up in prison with him and his assistant. 

Lila examined the different groups on the activities board in the school library, trying to figure out what would get her closest to the boys basketball team. Not pep-band. It put her in too large of a crowd and she couldn't get the spotlight and she _refused_ to play an instrument as loud and brash as the trumpet. Her eyes landed on a flier for the cheer leading team. Lila took a moment to consider it. She'd be in a small enough group that she could easily be picked out and she'd be in a position to get plenty of attention. The proximity to Adrien was just what she was looking for. How hard could cheer leading possibly be? She found the sign-up and put her name down. Now, she just had to come up with a flashy story and learn a few basics. This would be cake. 

Adrien's study hall wasn't very productive. He sat in a quiet part of the library, staring at his textbook, yet unable to focus on his work. He'd been a bit unfocused all day. His solitude was interrupted when Chloe sat down across from him. 

"Adrien, you're not alright," she stated. 

Adrien shook his head. "Yesterday was rough." 

"Have you talked to anyone about it?" 

"Not really," Adrien admitted. "I haven't really been in a space to talk about it." 

"You haven't even talked to Marinette?" 

He shook his head again. "I didn't know what to say." 

"Does it have to do with your father?" Chloe asked. 

Adrien let out a small sigh. "Casey went to see him yesterday, to get some peace of mind about some of the legal stuff that's still getting sorted out. He said a lot of things that were...pretty bad." 

"How bad?" 

"Probably worse than Casey let on," he replied. "He called her a disease. I don't know if that really upset her or not." 

"That is very different from what he said about her over the summer," Chloe commented. 

"Yeah...don't trust anything he said about Casey over the summer," Adrien replied. "Their relationship is...messy. I think she's gotten used to that kind of reception from him. She was more angry about the other things he said." 

"Do you want to talk about what else he said?" Chloe inquired. "Because, if you do, I can stay or get Marinette if you'd rather talk with her." 

"This is fine," Adrien assured her. "I kind of need to get it off my chest." 

Chloe settled in her seat and leaned forward. Adrien noticed that she was very deliberate in making sure her body language said 'I am listening'. 

"Thing is...Casey kind of let loose on him for making Lila my modeling partner and for asking her to spy on me in class," Adrien explained. "And...he knew that Lila was making me uncomfortable, but he didn't do anything about it. He wanted her around to make more akumas. He told Casey that it was all for my mom and me." 

"Knowing your sister, I'm guessing she didn't take that." 

"No. She told him to go to Hell." 

Chloe gave an impressed nod. "Not many people would say that to him." 

"I just...I was hoping that even if he did horrible things that he still cared enough about me to want to keep me safe. But he let Lila stick around, let her into that mansion and be around me at photo shoots while telling me that Nino, Luka, Marinette and Casey shouldn't be in my life. He wanted to get rid of the people that helped me the most while letting the one person that really isn't a good person stay. And he knew, but he didn't care."

Chloe reached out and patted his hand. "I wish I could say something to make you feel better, but I don't really have anything to say." 

"You don't need to say anything. I'm glad that you're willing to listen." 

"That's what friends are for," Chloe replied. "You've got a lot of good friends, Adrien. Even if I don't get along with all of them." 

"You're getting better," Adrien stated. "I think you and Marinette are getting pretty close." 

"Well, I have to make an effort to get along with my best friend's girlfriend," she said with a small scoff. 

Chloe pretended to be aloof, but Adrien saw the faint smile. She enjoyed getting to know Marinette. Maybe, in time, she'd enjoy being around Alya and Nino too. 

"I'm happy to see that you're trying to change yourself for the better, Chlo," Adrien said with a small smile. "People will start to see you as the friend I know you to be." 

"I think we're both changing for the better," Chloe replied. "I'm seeing you be more yourself than I have in a long time." 

Chloe sat with Adrien for the rest of the period. They drifted away from the topic of Gabriel and talked about what they were going to do. Chloe listened as Adrien talked about how excited he was for basketball and Adrien returned the favor as Chloe told him about how she was going to try and learn more about the hospitality business from her dad. Chloe was animated as she talked about what her dad was going to teach her. She said she was most excited for learning about what happened behind the scenes; managing the house keeping, the kitchen and making the decisions to help the hotel run. When the bell rang for the next class period, Adrien found himself in a much better mood. He was more focused on his work and his energy returned. He started counting down to practice. 

When the time finally came for practice, Adrien was ready to bounce off of the walls. Marinette, Alya and Nino were entertained by his enthusiasm and happy to see that Adrien had gotten his energy back. They wished him luck and headed home. Adrien saw Kim with some of the other team members. He was greeted warmly by most of the team. The people that stuck close to Kim gave him wary glances. The coach was a really tall guy with clipped, blackhair. Everyone on the team called him Coach Martin. He called them all onto the court and began drilling them. Adrien had never had so much fun playing before. Everyone warmed up to him the longer practice went on. He certainly wasn't the best player on the team, but Coach Martin said he was doing a great job and that he had a lot of promise for the season. Adrien was thrilled that he was making a good impression. It was fantastic. 

As the team wrapped up practice, another group started moving into the gym. Adrien recognized it as the cheer leading squad. 

"Cheer leaders are having try-outs," one of his teammates stated. "Apparently there were a few newbies who wanted to see if they could join. Heard there was a girl from your class too." 

"None of the girls in my class..." 

Adrien's thought drifted away from him. A group of five girls was sitting in the bleachers, one of them being Lila. She noticed Adrien and gave him a flirtatious wave. He did his best to keep from grumbling. Why did she have to do that? 

"Looks like she likes you," his teammate commented. 

"The feeling isn't mutual," Adrien replied. "

"I can tell. You've got a really irritated look on your face." 

"Agreste, Durand, lets go. One more scrimmage!" Coach Martin called. 

Adrien wasn't sure just _how_ irritated he looked, but he tried to wipe the expression off of his face and focus on the last few minutes of practice. It was kind of hard to focus when Lila shouted his name trying to get his attention. He got knocked on the head with the ball a few times and Lila got plenty of cold looks from Coach Martin. There was a nasty knot on his head when practice finished. Adrien gathered up his stuff, changed out of his uniform and shot Casey a quick text. 

"Adrien, you have a way home?" Coach Martin asked, noticing Adrien waiting by the exit. 

Adrien gave a quick nod. "My sister's gonna be here in about ten minutes. She just got off work." 

"Alright. You did good for your first practice." 

"You really think so?" Adrien asked, not able to contain his excitement. 

"Yeah. You've got real promise. You and the other boys just need to get used to each other," he stated. "How's your head?" 

Adrien rubbed the knot on the back of his head. "It'll be fine. Casey will probably make me ice it for a little when I get home." 

"That wouldn't be a bad idea." 

"Hey, Adrien, do you want to stick around for my cheer leading try-out?" Lila asked, running up to him. "You know, I was one on team back in Italy. We won worlds." 

"No thanks, Lila," Adrien replied, putting some distance between himself and the girl. "Casey's coming to pick me up and I've got a lot of stuff to work on at home." 

"Well, if I make the squad, then I'll be seeing you quite a lot," Lila stated, brushing her finger across Adrien's shoulder. 

"Yes, well, you won't make the squad unless you go over and listen to the coach," Coach Martin interjected. "So, I suggest you get back to it." 

"Of course," Lila replied, straining to keep her smile in place. "See you later, Adrien." 

Lila made her way back over to the area where the other cheer leaders were. Adrien did his best to keep from rolling his eyes. Coach Martin noticed the ire on Adrien's face. 

"Are you and that girl friends?" he asked. 

"Not really," Adrien answered. "I don't particularly like her." 

"She seemed incredibly...familiar with you." 

Adrien did his best not to shudder. He was about to say something when there was a cry of pain from one of the cheerleaders. He and Coach Martin looked over to see that the team was huddled around on member. They ran over to investigate. 

"Hold still," the cheer leading coach instructed. "I need to get a good look." 

When they got closer, Adrien saw that they were all huddled around Lila and her arm was bent at an unnatural angle. He quickly looked away and tried not to vomit. He had seen a lot of nasty things. He'd seen akumas that covered people in goop and sprayed people with disgusting perfume, but he couldn't handle looking at a broken arm. 

"What happened?" Coach Martin asked, brushing girls away to help their coach with Lila. 

"I instructed her to do a tumbling pass. Basic stuff. A few cartwheels followed by a forward handspring, but she launched into the handspring poorly and broke her arm. Call for an ambulance." 

The two coaches shooed Adrien and the other cheer leaders away from Lila while they tried to calm Lila down. While Adrien went back to waiting, he noticed some of the other girls were grumbling. 

"Honestly, with all her bragging, it looked like she'd never tumbled in her life," one girl stated. "I mean, it's terrible that she broke her arm and all, but still. With how she did that handspring it's no surprise she broke it."

"What do you mean?" Adrien asked, drawing the attention of the girls. "What was she bragging about?" 

A blonde rolled her eyes. "Went on and on about going to Worlds in Italy and being one of the best on her squad. Then Coach asks her to do one simple pass and she completely flops. We've all had bad passes, but we learned how to do handsprings _years_ ago." 

"We were already kind of annoyed with her," a brunette admitted. "I mean, she was being so disruptive during your practice which is just downright rude. Good way to give us a bad rep. How's your head, by the way?" 

"It's fine," Adrien answered. 

"Anyways," the blonde continued. "What I'm trying to say is, there's no way she's ever done the stuff she says she's done in her life and her show-boating ended up getting her a broken arm." 

"Still, we should try to handle it with a little grace," the brunette replied. "We can't just act like jerks about it." 

"I think she deserved it," the blonde stated. "Here's hoping Coach knows she was lying." 

"She definitely knows. I'm sorry for her because she's not getting a spot on the squad. She'll be so disappointed." 

Adrien left the girls to continue talking. He saw Casey pull up to the school and quickly made his way to the car. 

"How was practice?" Casey inquired. 

"It was good," Adrien answered. "Save for the bump on my head." 

Casey leaned over and ran her hand over his scalp. "That's a nasty one. Get hit on the head?" 

"Multiple times, courtesy of Lila." 

"What was she doing at your basketball practice?" Casey asked, her face scrunching up in contempt as she pulled back out into traffic. 

"It was only for the last ten or fifteen minutes. She was trying out for the cheer leading team." 

"I don't like that," she said immediately. "It smells of trouble." 

"What makes you say that?" 

"Has she ever expressed any interest in it before?" Casey asked, getting Adrien to shake his head. "And, cheer leaders and basketball players tend to have pretty similar schedules. Can you put the pieces together?" 

Adrien's eyes widened. "You think she tried out because she wanted to get closer to me?" 

Casey shrugged. "You're getting into a new social group, she no longer has the proximity from modeling and her past behavior makes it clear that for whatever reason, she's determined to get something from you." 

"You got all that from the past things I've told you about her?" Adrien asked, a little stunned. 

"Lila Rossi has been on my radar as a problem since I met Nino and Alya," Casey stated. "I'm certainly not letting her off of it now." 

"Guess it's a good thing she's not getting onto the team." 

"How do you know that?" 

"She lied to make herself sound impressive to coach, then, on her first pass for the try-out, broke her arm." 

Casey winced. "Talk about some nasty karma." 

"Personally, I think she deserves worse," Plagg piped, leaving Adrien's hoodie pocket. 

Casey cast a sideways glance at Plagg. "I may or may not agree with you on that, however, I know that a certain kwami would scold us for such thoughts." 

"You know I would," Tali stated, coming into the open and landing on Casey's shoulder. "The two of you should not be taking pleasure in bad things happening to people or wish for worse things to happen to them." 

"She deserves it," Plagg muttered. 

Tali shot Plagg a glare. "That is not your decision to make." 

Plagg and Casey quickly dropped the conversation and switched to asking Adrien about how he was getting along with the other boys on his team. Adrien was more than happy to tell Casey and Tali about the other guys. He was still gushing about practice by the time they made it back to the apartment. Casey shared a smile with Plagg and Tali. 

"What?" Adrien asked, noticing the three sharing looks. 

"Nothing," Casey said with a sigh. "We're all just glad you enjoyed practice." 

"What about work? Didn't Josue hire some new workers?" Adrien inquired. "What are they like?" 

"He hired another mechanic and someone to run the store," Casey answered. "A girl named Deidra and a guy named Aston. Personally, not a fan of Aston." 

"I don't like him either," Tali added. "He boarders on narcissistic." 

"Massive superiority complex," Casey clarified. "We get a car in and it's his first day, so Josue has me work with him because _other than him I am the most experienced mechanic in that garage_. What does Aston do? He nearly douses an engine in transmission fluid and then when I get onto him for it, he just gives me this snotty, upturned expression and says 'I don't need a little girl telling me how to do my job.'" 

Casey said the last bit with a deep, stereotypical doofus voice. She rolled her eyes, then continued. 

"I am about to turn twenty. I am _not_ a little girl, and cars have practically been my life. I know where shit like transmission fluid goes, dumbass!" 

Adrien had a feeling that last part was meant for said mechanic that had earned her ire. Casey let out a huff and flopped onto the couch. His brain lit up when Casey mentioned she was almost twenty. He glanced at his phone and saw that her birthday was in two weeks, just a few days before his own. He made a mental note to start looking for birthday gifts, then turned his attention back to Casey, who was still ranting about Aston. Adrien had to wonder how bad this guy had to be to get Casey fuming like she was. 

"It's moments like these where I wish Charlie would move to Paris," she groaned. "I need another mechanic that I can actually work with." 

"Well, it's only been one day," Adrien replied. "Who knows? Maybe he'll get better after working with you for a while and lose the ego." 

"I sure hope so," Casey sighed. She took a moment, then stood up with a stretch. "Alright, you go work on whatever homework you've got and I'll get started on dinner." 

Adrien nodded and made his way back to his room. Minus some of the hiccups, today had been a pretty good day.


	16. Coworkers and Classmates

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm glad everyone enjoyed the last chapter. I don't think there's a single person in the fandom that actually likes Lila. I've got some more scenarios that I'm coming up with, so expect some more karma for her. 
> 
> Also, for anyone that's interested, I started another work called Character Commentary: Miraculous Ladybug. Basically, it outlines the evolution of the different characters that I created for this series. If any of you are interested, feel free to check it out. The first chapter is up, featuring Casey. And if any of you have any characters you'd like me to go into more detail about, just head over and leave a comment and I'll see what I can do.
> 
> Enjoy the chapter!

Casey tried to hold onto Adrien's hopeful words at work. She really did. She didn't mind Deidra, who insisted Casey call her Dee, but Casey wasn't exactly on that wagon yet. Deidra was a pretty nice girl, freshman university student, looking for a good job. She reminded Casey strongly of Daisy, except older and with mermaid hair. She was also a lot more feminine than Casey and Daisy had ever been, not that that was a bad thing. The only thing that was a little annoying was that Deidra would forget to let them know she was entering the garage and accidentally startle at least one of them while they were working. Casey believed Deidra would eventually get into the habit, she just needed to get used to the Garage 

No, Casey's problem was a six foot two brick with brown hair and an ego issue, who was supposedly twenty-four, though, in Casey's opinion, he was more like a ten year old. She was focusing on her own car when Aston came up behind her and pulled out the dipstick for the transmission fluid. 

"What are you doing?" Casey asked, trying to keep her voice from sounding too sharp. 

"Checking the transmission fluid," Aston stated. 

"Not while I've got the dipstick for the oil out," Casey replied, taking the stick. 

"You can have both out at the same time," he said with an eyeroll. 

"And risk switching them up? No," Casey snapped. "I'm not gonna risk getting transmission fluid into the oil. That will spell disaster." 

Aston scoffed. "It's fine." He took the stick out of Casey's hands. "Besides, don't you trust your own skills?" 

"My station, my rules," Casey stated. "Now hand me the dipstick. Don't you have your own car to work on?" 

"Mr. Courbet is double checking a few things," Aston replied. "Although, I think he's checking over the wrong mechanic's work." 

Casey leveled a glare at Aston. There were so many things she could have said, like how she was two seconds away from taking the dipstick in his hands and shoving it up his ass. But she caught Josue's gaze. They needed the extra hands, and this was also to help take down some of her hours so she could have more time available for her brother. She had to take it all with grace. Casey snatched the dipstick from Aston and put it back where it needed to go, then attempted to ignore him. It was only his second day, but Casey already knew that she and Aston were never going to be more than coworkers. Aston seemed to think her silence meant that he had won whatever argument he was trying to start and sauntered off to his station. 

Tali zipped out of Casey's pocket and discreetly made her way to Aston's tool cart and pushed a socket wrench onto his foot as he was walking by. Casey let out a snicker at the curses Aston let out. Tali made her way back into Casey's pocket and both noticed Josue's raised eyebrow. Casey shrugged innocently and kept her head under the hood. 

"And you said we shouldn't be taking pleasure in bad things that happen to other people," Casey muttered to the kwami. 

"I didn't say anything about causing bad things," Tali replied. "Besides, do as I say, not as I do." 

"Sure, Tali." 

The Garage hummed with the noise of mechanics working. It was too loud for Casey to really hear anything that wasn't right in her ear, and she was perfectly fine with that. That meant no one would talk to her unless it was important. Casey was in her zone, flying through her repair checklist for the current car. Deidra popped her head in every now and then to ask a question for a customer. Usually, Josue would answer it, or Casey would if he was too busy. Aston would try to offer his opinion. Sometimes he said something slightly intelligent, but for the most part, he pulled things out of thin air. What had made Josue think hiring him was a good idea? 

Adrien was in a slightly better mood than Casey. Due to her "unfortunate accident", Lila was taking the day off, which meant Adrien was free to relax and didn't have to dodge her every other minute. The class speculated on what Lila could have been doing, believing that she might have gone on another trip and forgotten to tell them. Alya and Nino noticed him smirking in his seat. 

"Do you know what happened?" Alya asked. 

Adrien nodded. "Karma happened." 

Dude, what did she do?" Nino inquired in a whisper. 

"You know how cheer leading try-outs were yesterday?" Adrien replied, getting a nod from Alya and Nino. "Lila tried out. Things didn't go so well for her." 

"You mean she failed?" 

"Nope," Adrien answered. "She tried talking herself up to the coach and the squad. She broke her arm on her first attempt at tumbling." 

Nino's eyes widened. "No way." 

"You're telling me that Lila actually thought that lying about cheer leading was a smart idea?" Alya asked, not quite believing it. 

"Yeah. The other cheer leaders were not impressed." 

"You think she'll stay away from school until her arm is healed?" Nino inquired. "I mean...I doubt she wants to get caught in that mess." 

"Word's going to get around with or without her," Adrien stated. "Especially since everyone will be asking questions. So, it really depends on how she wants to lose her dignity." 

"You are enjoying this just a little too much," Alya commented. 

"Me? Enjoy someone who has been causing problems for people I care about getting caught in their own games and hit with karma? _Never_. Don't you know me at all?" 

Nino and Alya didn't have a chance to reply, as the lesson began and they had to pay attention. Everything went smoothly. Adrien had to wonder how the class would react upon learning about Lila's accident. Hadn't she made up a lie about a wrist injury? If so, then they'd probably start to wonder what she was doing trying out for a sport that revolved around performing various stunts that involved launching herself from her hands. Nothing major happened, not until lunch, that is. 

Adrien met Marinette at the stairs and they headed towards the exit. They were going to head to her place. As they were about to leave, their phones beeped. Adrien's eyes widened when he saw the notification. 

**Adrien Agreste is in love!**

Adrien clicked on the notification and it led him to the school website. There was a small social page where students could post about school events. No one really used it, mostly just checked to keep up with whatever student council was doing. But this post was full of screenshots of text messages. The screenshots said that Adrien was the person being texted, but Adrien knew for a fact that he _never_ sent any of those messages. They were all ridiculous declarations of love with stereotypical pet names that Adrien had never used in his life. 

"Um...those aren't texts that you've sent to me," Marinette stated. "And I know you didn't text them." 

"I have no clue what this is," Adrien replied. "What the hell is going on?" 

"Whoever posted it, posted anonymously," Marinette said, scrolling through the screenshots. "But I'd be happy to wager a guess." 

"Adrien!" 

Adrien and Marinette turned to find a fuming Kim. Kim marched right up to them, looking incredibly pissed. 

"You can't be serious! After what you did to Lila over the summer, why would you let anyone post these?!" Kim exclaimed. "Do you have to rub it in her face?!" 

"I was never dating Lila," Adrien retorted. "And I've never seen these texts before." 

"Sure you haven't," Kim snarled. "Marinette, why are you still hanging around him? You're better than this." 

"He's telling the truth, Kim," Marintte replied sharply. "And you do not have the right to tell me who I should and shouldn't have in my life." 

"He's scum," Kim snapped. "I mean, just look at his dad." 

"Le Chien Kim, don't you dare compare him to his father!" Marinette exclaimed sharply. "Adrien is the farthest from being like Gabriel Agreste and you have no right to use him as an excuse to target him like this!" 

"But-" 

"There is no but! That is beyond low and you will apologize or so help me, I will tell your mother!" 

Kim paled at Marinette's threat. Adrien was slightly intimidated and fell in love even more with Marinette. He had never seen her have such righteous fury outside of her being Ladybug. He was glad he had never pissed her off that much and hoped he never did. If Kim's reaction was anything to go by, being on the receiving end of her wrath was enough to make your life flash before your eyes. 

"I'm sorry," Kim said, glancing towards Adrien. "Bringing up you dad wasn't cool." 

"And?" Marinette asked sharply. 

"No. I'm not apologizing for anything else," Kim replied. "I stepped out of line, but he still used you and Lila." 

"Adrien has never, nor will he ever, use me," Marinette stated. "He is honest and loyal and if you would use your brain, Le Chien Kim, you would see that. Now apologize." 

Kim glanced between Marinette and Adrien. Adrien wasn't sure what exactly was going to happen. He noticed Max approaching and gave him a very urgent look. Max picked up his pace. 

"Marinette, Adrien, I apologize," Max stated. "May I please borrow Kim so that I may explain the situation?" 

Marinette took a deep breath and gave Max a nod. "Please do, Max." 

Max pulled Kim off to the side. Marinette and Adrien watched as Kim started talking quickly, waving his arms. Max put up a hand to stop Kim's speech and started talking to him. If his gestures were anything to go off of, Adrien would have to guess that Max was spelling out all of the information for Kim. Kim's expression became more and more unsure the more Max talked to him. Eventually, Kim held up his hands to stop Max and gave a small nod. Adrien looked over at Marinette and noticed that she had a satisfied smile on her face. Kim came over with his head hanging low. 

"I'm sorry," Kim said softly. "I've been a pretty big idiot." 

"What all did Max explain to you?" Marinette inquired. 

"Everything," Kim answered. "Adrien, I'm sorry, really. I can't believe I let her string me along like that..." 

"You're not the only person she's fooled," Adrien replied, patting Kim's shoulder. "It's ok." 

"No, it's not. I've thought horrible things about both of you, I've let Lila use me and I came at you without asking any questions." 

"Well, now you know the truth," Marinette stated. "And what's important is what you do now." 

"I'm not going to believe another word out of her mouth," Kim said firmly. "And if there's anything I can do for you..." 

"We'll let you know," Adrien assured him. 

Kim walked off to join Max, allowing Max to continue talking to him. Adrien guessed he wanted to know everything about what they'd told Max about Lila. Marinette let out a sigh and pulled Adrien out the door. They went towards the Dupain-Cheng Bakery, and when Adrien was sure no one from their class was around, he gave Marinette a kiss on the cheek. 

"What was that for?" Marinette asked. 

"For being the most amazing girlfriend ever," Adrien answered. 

"I just talked some sense into Kim," Marinette replied. 

"No, you scared the shit out of him. And you did it to defend me." 

"No one gets to mess with my Kitty like that, especially not when it's on the behalf of Lila Rossi." 

"You think Lila posted those fake texts to get the class riled up?" Adrien asked. "Since she couldn't get on the cheer leading team?"

"Probably," Marinette said with a shrug. "It's definitely her speed. She doesn't get what she wants? She decides to make someone's life miserable." 

"At least now Kim's on our side," Adrien pointed out. 

"Her kingdom of lies is tumbling down," Marinette mused with a small chuckle.


	17. Art Club

The school day ended quietly. It seemed that Kim was the only person who got angry enough to try and confront Adrien about the messages. Marinette would admit to having something to do with that. She may or may not have dissuaded one Rose and Juleka from walking up to Adrien to interrogate him during study hall. Chloe also helped out and quickly sent word to Mr. Damocles that the post was incredibly inappropriate for the school website and violated Adrien's privacy, which gave Mr. Damocles a clear message: Delete the post. And delete it he did. Unfortunately, that did not stop the whispers. 

Marinette heard them as she walked between classes, mostly from the younger classes. She could not, for the life of her, figure out why they were such gossipers. Even Lila's influence over Ms. Bustier's class hadn't turned them into walking tabloids. Many of the students in the younger classes were whispering furiously, repeating the sob story Lila had been repeating since summer and theories about who Adrien supposedly loved. Marinette had a little more patience with them, considering they didn't know Adrien personally, but she still didn't like the disparaging words and curses they said in reference to him, and if she heard anyone mention of his family, she would lose it. 

She shook the thoughts away and entered the art classroom. Alix was working happily on her street art while Nathaniel and Marc were huddled in a corner discussing details for their next comic book and Rose was perched on her box, working on music for Kitty Section. Alix, Marc and Nathaniel noticed her entrance immediately and dropped what they were doing to start talking. Alix was the first. 

"Marinette, I owe you the biggest apology," she stated. "Marc and Nathaniel told me about Lila. I can't believe I was that dense! And I'm so sorry for what I said to you over the summer! That was totally uncool!" 

"Thanks, Alix," Marinette replied. "I'm just glad you know the truth now." 

"But everyone else in our class still believes her," Alix huffed. 

"Not everyone," Nathaniel piped. "Adrien, Max, Alya and Nino know too." 

"And Kim," Marinette added, getting shocked looks from the trio. "Long story. Max and I managed to knock some sense into him." 

"Should we talk to Rose?" Alix asked, glancing over in her direction. "I mean...she'll take it pretty hard." 

"Maybe talk to Juleka first," Marinette suggested. "If Juleka backs us up then it might not upset her as much." 

"Come to think of it, we should probably talk to all of Kitty Section," Marc stated. 

Marinette nodded. "Definitely. And we should do it soon. Luka was talking to me about how she's been trying more recently to get involved with it. I don't want to see all their hard work go down the drain because of her." 

"With all that she's doing, Lila's spreading herself pretty thin," Alix commented. "Why is she trying to do so much now?" 

"Because she can't model with Adrien anymore and she wants to destroy his social circle," Marinette answered. "She made that threat over the summer, got punched by his little sister for it." 

Alix let out a chuckle. "I would pay to see that. What was her name again?" 

"Daisy," Nathaniel replied, earning questioning glances from everyone except Marinette. "What? He talks about them almost as much as he talks about Marinette. It was kind of hard to forget her name." 

"How much do you talk in class?" Marinette asked, not bothering to hide her amused smile. 

"A fair bit," Nathaniel admitted. "I think Ms. Bustier would get onto him about it if it didn't make her so happy to hear him gushing about his family. It really pisses Lila off." 

"Why would Lila be pissed off about Adrien's sisters?" Alix inquired. "Besides the obvious reason that one of them punched her." 

"Casey's the one that helped Adrien get out of modeling and she also doesn't like Lila," Marinette explained. "Remember that mechanic Lila was going on about last year? The one that wouldn't let her into her uncle's garage?" 

Nathaniel's eyes widened. "She was talking about Adrien's sister?" 

"Yup. Granted, we didn't know she was his sister at the time. And Josue is not Lila's uncle. He's Casey's. Basically, Lila doesn't like anyone who doesn't fall for her lies, is not intimidated by her and will not give her chances to manipulate people." 

Alix scowled. "I want to hit her." 

"Let's hold off on that," Marc said, unclenching Alix's fist. "That just gives her more fuel to use to trick people." 

"Adrien and I have a plan," Marinette assured her. "We'll text you guys every time there's something to do. Right now, we just need to focus on at least getting people to doubt Lila. Now, can we not talk about this for a bit? We don't want to lose this valuable time by wasting it on Lila." 

Alix, Marc and Nathaniel took Marinette's cue and went back to work. Small talk filled the room as they poured over their individual projects. Occasionally, Marc and Nathaniel would ask them their opinions on a possible story line and Alix would ask for someone to critique her work. Rose joined in the small talk, sometimes asking one of them to sample some lyrics for her. It was nice to be back in Art Club. The teacher, Mr. Degas came in to check on them and start working on a project of his own. There was a knock on the door and Adrien popped his head into the room. 

"Adrien," Marinette said with a smile. 

"Hey, man," Alix replied, giving him a wave. "What brings you to the Art Room?" 

"Well...I was wondering if you guys could help me out," Adrien answered, rubbing the back of his neck. 

"What can we help you with, Adrien?" Mr. Degas inquired. 

"My sister's birthday is coming up and I wanted to make her something," Adrien explained. "Just something to show how glad I am that she's here." 

"Aw, that's so sweet," Rose commented. "I wish I had a sibling." 

"I'm sure we could help you figure something out, Adrien," Mr. Degas replied. "Come in and take a seat." 

Adrien sat down at an open station next to Marinette. Mr. Degas sat on his other side with a sketchpad and a piece of notebook paper. 

"What kind of things does your sister like, Adrien?" he asked. 

"She loves cars," Adrien answered. "Especially vintage cars. Her favorites are the 1972 Monica 560 and the 1965 Jaguar E-Type." 

"How do you remember what her favorite vintage cars are?" Marc asked. "That's...incredibly specific." 

"Well, the Monica is her favorite because it's the first car she worked on with Uncle Josue," Adrien replied. "And she has a poster of the Jag in her room." 

"What else, Adrien?" Mr. Degas prompted, pulling him back on topic. 

"Her favorite color is burgundy, she loves soccer and she likes having things that remind her of family," he listed. 

Mr. Dregas nodded, writing down Adrien's description. "I'm sure we can figure out something to do with this. Let's brainstorm some and then we can come up with a design." 

Brainstorming proved to be a bit more difficult. Adrien had a lot of big ideas that he could do, but the problem is that those ideas weren't completely reasonable. He either didn't have the time, the skills or the materials for the idea. Mr. Dregas was incredibly patient and sometimes another one of the Art Club members offered a suggestion. He was grateful for their help. Still, he couldn't quite come up with a good idea. By the time Casey arrived to pick him up, he had a list with three possible ideas that he tucked inside his school bag. 

Adrien mentioning Casey's bithday got Marinette onto the topic of birthdays. She was aware that Adrien's was coming up and already had a present ready, but she realized that she never actually asked Casey when her birthday was. Adrien wouldn't put off getting a gift until the last second. He cared too much about Casey to forget her birthday. Marinette decided she'd ask Adrien for her birthday later and focused on figuring out what she could make, setting aside her current project. What could she make that Casey would appreciate? 

Casey was busy cooking dinner while Adrien did his homework at the table. He sometimes asked Casey for some help. She was completely honest, she sucked when it came to physics. She was much more of a chemistry person. She was at least able to provide some assistance with his English work. While she stirred the food, her phone started buzzing on the table. Adrien peeked at the screen. 

"Unknown number," Adrien stated. "Want to ignore it?" 

Casey shook her head. "Tali, take over for me." 

Tali took the spatula from Casey and floated over the skillet, dutifully watching the food while Casey answered the phone. 

"Casey Barbereau. How can I help you?" 

Adrien watched Casey's expression as the person on the other end talked. He could hear small pieces of their voice, enough to determine that it was a woman, but not enough to hear the conversation. 

"He's doing very well," Casey said calmly. "The transition was certainly a little jarring but we've both handled it as well as could be expected.....Yes I am aware..." 

Casey had a hesitant expression on her face. He could guess that the person on the other end had asked about him, considering he was the only other person in the house that anybody knew about. 

"Who is it?" Adrien mouthed. 

"Explain in just a minute," Casey mouthed back, before returning her attention back to the conversation. "Um, I'm not really sure that's doable on such short notice.... With all due respect, I can't just pack the two of us up at the drop of a hat. I mean, maybe in a few weeks when I can get some time off....Yes, have a good night." 

Casey hung up and let out a small sigh. She took the spatula back from Tali without a word. 

"So...who was that?" Adrien asked. 

"An assistant for a woman named Amelie Graham de Vanily," Casey answered. 

"Aunt Amelie called?" 

"Her assistant," Casey clarified. "Apparently she wants us to make a trip to London, check in and touch base with you. She wanted us to go sometime this weekend, but I do not have the availability to go. I have to be at the Garage. Josue wants to try and get me accustomed to the new employees as fast as possible and I can't just take time off with only two to three days notice." 

"How did they take it?" 

"They were annoyed," she admitted. "I'm guessing your aunt is probably more gracious about time off." 

"Uncle Josue would probably give you it," Adrien stated. "And if not, Aunt Felice would probably get him to give it to you." 

Adrien noticed Casey give him a lopsided smile. He was a little confused as to why she was looking at him like that. Plagg and Tali shared knowing looks with her and Adrien started to feel like he was missing something. 

"What?" he asked. "Why are you looking at me like that?" 

"It's nothing," Casey replied. 

"It's something," Adrien insisted. "What are the three of you silently communicating without me?" 

"You called them Uncle Josue and Aunt Felice," Casey stated, her smile growing. 

Adrien's eyes widened. Wait...did he-? Casey started laughing at his expression. Adrien panicked a little. What if he said that to their faces? Would they be ok with it? What if they didn't want him to call them his aunt and uncle? 

"Adrien, buddy," Casey said, getting some of her laughing under control. "Are you ok? You look like you just broke your own brain." 

"Umm..." he replied, not sure how to respond. He was shaken from his stupor when a charcoal kind of smell reached his nose. "I think dinner is burning." 

Casey glanced down at her pan and quickly started to panic. "Shit!" 

It was Adrien's turn to laugh as Casey scrambled to save their food. Plagg joined in and they turned into cackling idiots. Tali just stood to the side, shaking her head with a fond smile on her face.


	18. Enemy Awareness

Lila was far from happy. She spent an entire day at home instead of at school with her arm wrapped up in a ridiculous white cast, boiling with rage. Those stupid cheer leaders and their stupid handsprings. It was supposed to be simple. Woo the team, try-out, take the top spot and then start getting closer to Adrien and turning him into her little accessory. It wasn't supposed to end with her arm broken and a field day of embarrassment. So, since she wasn't able to get into his new social circle, she decided to keep dismantling his current one. Yup. Lila spent her day creating fake text screenshots and then posted them on the school forum. If that didn't get people to hate Adrien, she didn't know what else would. So, walking into class the next day to see him sitting happily with Nino, Max and Kim caught her off guard. Why wasn't Kim ripping into him on her behalf like the little attack dog she'd made him to be? Alya wasn't acting indignant either, she was just talking to Ms. Bustier. Why wasn't _anybody_ glaring daggers at Adrien Agreste like he was the scourge of the earth?! 

"Lila," Rose cried. "Your arm. What happened?" 

"Just a minor accident that happened while I was working at a charity after school the other day," Lila answered sweetly. "But I'll be fine in a few weeks." 

Rose, Mylene and Sabrina came to start doting on her. While Lila relished in attention, she preferred blind adoration. Not sympathy. She noticed that Adrien exchanged glances with Kim and Nino, a silent conversation that she did not like being unable to decipher. She was the mastermind of the class, the queen. No one should be having silent conversations while she was in the room.She pretended to not notice and continued letting the three girls shower her with attention, even if it wasn't the kind she wanted. She remembered one of her earliest lies about her arthritis and decided that she could tweak that little fib and place herself right where she wanted to be. 

"Unfortunately, with my arm broken, I won't be able to take notes," Lila lamented. 

"Don't worry, Lila," Ms. Bustier piped, sorting through papers on her desk. "Your mother informed me of your injury and Alya, as our class representative, graciously volunteered to be your note taker." 

"Oh, that's so sweet," Lila replied. "Thank you, Alya." 

Inside, Lila was seething. Why wasn't anything going right for her this year? Was it too much to just ask for her blind followers to let her get what she wanted? Short answer; yes. People only stay sheep for so long. 

It wasn't hard for anyone in on Adrien and Marinette's plot to notice that Lila was a little...peeved. Adrien would've said pissed, but she didn't really seem pissed. Not yet, at least. Adrien would admit that he was satisfied at seeing Lila's brief moment of confusion when she entered the classroom. Yes, he and Marinette were fully aware that Lila was the probable culprit behind the screenshots. It didn't take a genius to figure it out. Marinette guessed that she might try to repeat her tactic from last year, using her injury as an excuse to sit next to Adrien and asked Alya if she'd be willing to swallow a little of her pride and pretend to be a caring class rep that would help Lila take notes. Alya agreed once Marinette explained that Lila was looking for any way to get close to him and made him incredibly uncomfortable, though she did not like having to temporarily play the role of Lila's wonderful class helper. 

As class started, Adrien could feel Lila staring at him and worked hard to keep from withering under her scrutiny. He would be perfectly fine, so long as Lila didn't go beyond staring. Staring could be ignored. He glanced across the aisle and noticed Chloe eyeing Lila suspiciously. Adrien knew for a fact that that was not a good sign. 

When the time came to move to P.E, Alya quickly took Lila's books, preventing her from being able to ask anyone else for assistance. Chloe waited for Adrien to finish packing up his stuff and met him at the door. 

"I don't like that look Lila's got," she stated. "She knows something's up." 

"What could she do?" Adrien asked. "Max and Kim are going to start talking to the decathalon and sports teams, Marinette and Luka are going to talk to Kitty Section and then it'll spread from there. She can't stop it." 

"Except she could up her game," Chloe replied. "An enemy that's aware of your movements is a dangerous one." 

"She's not aware, she's just guessing. And when she fully realizes what's going on, it'll be too late." 

"Don't get too confident," she warned. "Lila is crafty. We've made a lot of progress, but we haven't taken away all of her power yet. I'm going to lunch with Nathaniel and Marc to talk about some next steps." 

Adrien couldn't stop the small smile that showed up on his face. Chloe was willingly going to hang out with them, and he didn't detect a hint of condescension in her tone. If he had to guess, she was looking forward to it. Chloe caught his smile and rolled her eyes. 

"Ok, yes, I'm actually making friends," Chloe said, attempting to act annoyed. 

"And you're enjoying it," Adrien pointed out. 

"Well, they've been asking me about details for a Queen Bee comic," Chloe admitted. "And...I actually really enjoy their work. I could see them becoming a professional comic book duo." 

"Enjoying it _and_ being supportive." 

"Shut up," Chloe replied, giving him a light shove in the arm. 

"Chloe's making friends! Chloe's making friends!" Adrien sang. 

"Where's Marinette? I need her to shut you up," Chloe retorted, barely hiding her amused smile. 

While Adrien was busy teasing Chloe, Marinette and Aurore were whispering in class, trying to not to get Ms. Mendeleiev's attention. They had already finished their work, but that didn't mean they wouldn't get in trouble if they got too loud. 

"I'm just saying," Aurore whispered. "With that post, people are gonna have it in their heads that Adrien's dating _somebody_. Why not take advantage of the opportunity and come out as a couple?" 

"Because the timing isn't right," Marinette replied. "Just because the idea is there doesn't mean it's a good one. Especially if Lila can still twist it to serve her own purpose." 

"Well, she's lost some of the younger classes," Aurore stated. 

"How?" 

"Apparently she lied to the wrong group of people. I overheard this group of students talking about how she couldn't have met Stan Lee or helped John Williams write some music like she claimed. My best guess is she learned they liked Marvel and Star Wars and decided to drop some flashy names. Definitely not her best." 

"Not believing her about some people she's met and not believing her about me and Adrien are two different things," Marinette stated. 

"But they're doubting her words, and I say you and Adrien should own your relationship and make it public before Lila figures it out and does it for you. Think of how bad it will be if she's the one that lets it out." 

Marinette paused to think. Aurore had a point. Better that they tell everyone honestly than to have Lila twist it, and Marinette would like to be able to be with Adrien at school as his girlfriend instead of having to sneak around. On the other hand, Marinette didn't want to give Lila fuel for her whole cheating story. Aurore gave her one of those 'you know I'm right' expressions and Marinette decided that she'd talk to Adrien about it. 

The morning was quiet and that was just the way Marinette liked it. At the same time, whenever she caught glances of Lila in the halls, Lila had an expression that unsettled her. She had an enormous sense of deja-vu when she went into the restroom and Lila followed her in. 

"Something I can help you with, Lila?" Marinette asked calmly. 

"I don't know what you and Adrien are up to," Lila stated. "But know that I'm on to you and I will stop whatever pathetic plot you have." 

"Pathetic plot? No, we don't have any of those," Marinette replied. 

"Then how do you explain the sudden closeness between you, Adrien and your classmates?" Lila questioned. "Because given everything that's happened, no one in their right mind would still be your friend." 

"Maybe you overplayed your hand. Maybe, you took a step too far and got sloppy." 

"I don't get sloppy," Lila snarled. 

"I guess that all depends on how many people believe you," Marinette stated calmly. 

Lila's fists clenched. "I rule this school. No one questions me. I can assure you, in the end, I will be on top, Adrien will be mine. Anything you do is irrelevant. You. Are. Irrelevant." 

"If I'm so irrelevant, then why do you feel the need to threaten me?" Marinette asked, making her way to the door. 

Marinette could feel Lila's glare as she left the bathroom. She ignored it and made her way out to meet Adrien and they went to the park to enjoy lunch. Marinette provided the sweets, complete with passion fruit macaroons, and Adrien brought some sandwiches and soda, courtesy of Casey. Plagg and Tikki went into Marinette's purse to talk and share their own food. Marinette and Adrien spent some time talking about how their morning classes had gone. Adrien mentioned the warning Chloe had given him about Lila. 

"Chloe's right," Marinette said. "Lila cornered me in the bathroom to try and threaten me." 

"She did what?!" Adrien snapped. 

"Easy," Marinette replied, placing her hands on Adrien's chest. "I'm fine. It went much better than the first time she did it." 

"She's done it before?! When?!" 

Marinette let out a sigh. "Right after she came back, but I'm fine, Adrien." 

Adrien scowled at the ground. "I don't like that she threatened you like that." 

"She's threatened you before too." 

"Not the point," Adrien replied. "The point is, you're the most wonderful person in the world and she threatened you and nobody threatens my princess." 

Adrien wrapped his arms around Marinette and laid his head on her shoulder to emphasize his point. Marinette ran her hand through his hair and couldn't help but smile. 

"Speaking of us, Aurore suggested that it's time we start telling people we're dating," Marinette stated. 

"Do you want to start telling people?" 

"Yes," she admitted. "But I also want to make sure Lila doesn't use it against us." 

"Well, if we do it on our terms, then she can't," Adrien reasoned. "And I would like to be able to be a couple at school." 

"So, do you think we should just go for it?" 

Adrien took a moment to think before nodding his head. "As long as it's what you want too." 

"I think...I think it's what I want too."


	19. Reactions

All it took was one little post on instagram and then everyone was freaking out. It wasn't anything huge, just a nice little update on how Adrien was doing. After his long hiatus from social media, everyone jumped on it. There were some pictures of him and his sisters with a heartwarming caption about how much he loved them and how he loved getting to live with Caey. Of course, that wasn't what was getting people to freak out. In the midst of Adrien's little post, there was a lovely picture of him and Marinette at the park, with a simple, heartfelt caption. 

**And I'm so grateful for the best girlfriend in the universe! Love you, Marinette!**

Plagg seemed to think the declaration of love was mushy and a little too much, but Marinette thought it was really sweet. When Adrien told Casey she was happy and mentioned that it explained why she was suddenly getting an influx of calls from tabloids asking for details. She _did_ request that the next time Adrien wanted to make a big social media post that he mention it before hand. Her smirk betrayed the fact that she thought the situation was a little humorous. Her phone wasn't the only one blowing up. Adrien and Marinette were lambasted with texts from classmates who were demanding the details about their relationship. While the three of them were gathered in Casey and Adrien's kitchen, their classmates were freaking out. 

Rose was, thankfully, at home when she saw the post, so she was able to squeal in delight. She wanted to know exactly how long Adrien and Marinette had been dating, who asked who out and could barely stop herself from bouncing off the walls. She could only think that it must have been incredibly romantic and it made her squeal even more. If there had been any glass nearby, it probably would have gotten shattered. 

Mylene and Ivan were together when they saw the post. They certainly were shocked. Mylene had always thought that if Marinette and Adrien had ever gotten together that Marinette would have been shouting it from the rooftops. Still, the two were incredibly happy for them. 

Juleka was sitting on the top deck of the Liberty with Luka. She was mindlessly scrolling through her feed when she spotted Adrien's post. She nearly dropped her phone when she read his caption. Her eyes darted to Luka, who was tuning his guitar. She wasn't oblivious to her brother's feelings for Marinette. 

"Um...Luka," Juleka mumbled, handing him her phone. 

Luka glanced down at the picture and smiled. "It's ok, Jules. I've known about them for awhile." 

"Really?" she asked, gettinga nod in return. "And you're not upset?" 

"As long as Marinette's happy, I'll be happy for her," Luka replied. "Adrien's a good guy." 

Juleka looked between her screen and Luka. She had to admire his strength. If he could be happy for Marinette and Adrien, maybe she could be happy for them too. 

Kagami had just finished a sparring session with her mother when she saw the notification. She couldn't stop the satisfied smile that appeared on her face. She had known about them being a couple just as long as Luka. Next to Alya and Nino, they'd been the two that had known for the longest time. She had been waiting for them to make it public so she could give them a proper congratulations. 

"It's about time," Kagami muttered to herself. 

Pretty much everyone in Ms. Bustier's class that had not previously known about Marinette and Adrien reacted similarly to Rose or Mylene and Ivan. In that moment, they were too happy that Adrienette was officially a thing to remember that Lila had previously attempted to poison their perception of them becoming a couple. Yes, all it took for them to forget about Lila's petty lie was to see their two friends being happy together. They wanted to know everything. How many dates had they gone on? How long had they been secretly official? Had they gotten Andre's ice cream together? Were Alya and Nino aware that they had been dating? They couldn't restrain themselves and texted all of their questions to the couple. 

Naturally, one particular person was not happy about this development. The moment Lila saw Adrien's post, she threw her phone against her door and basically had a temper tantrum. Seriously, the girl was fourteen, but she acted like a toddler. Lila ignored the concerned voice of her mother, asking about the racket and started pacing around her room. 

"What could Marinette have that I don't?" Lila fumed. "She's a nobody!" 

"Lila!" Mrs. Rossi called. "What was that crash?" 

"Nothing!" Lila exclaimed, picking up her phone and seeing cracks all across her screen. "Dammit." 

Lila huffed and pulled up her laptop. She started skimming through the comments of strangers to get a read on what their reactions were. She wanted to throw her laptop at her door. They were nothing but support and congratulations. Why did people like this?! Adrien Agreste was going from being somebody, from being the boy with everything to a common boy! Why did they like that?! He was supposed to be hers! Lila hated it more than anything. Her ticket to everything she'd ever dreamed was slowly disappearing because of the influence of Marinette and that damn mechanic! She slammed her laptop shut and fumed on her bed. The first chance she got, she'd make Adrien regret crossing her. If he was content to turn into a nobody like his girlfriend, she'd make him more of a nobody than anyone else. Then he'd come groveling back to her, begging for her to help him put his life back together and for her forgiveness. 

Casey hummed a little tune as she put a shepherd's pie in the oven. Adrien and Marinette were in the living room, playing video games, ignoring their phones as the buzzed with more and more notifications. She leaned in the doorway and watched them with a smile. Adrien leaned over and kissed Marinette on the cheek, hoping to distract her from the game. Casey chuckled as Marinette flicked his nose and proceeded to kick his ass. Somehow they had a cute puppy love and a married couple dynamic at the same time. 

"You seem content," Tali commented, perching on her shoulder. 

"Just glad they finally got to get it out in the open," Casey replied. "They're quite a cute couple." 

"They're adorable together," Tali stated. "I think this is the third Ladybug and Chat Noir I've seen get together." 

"You've seen Plagg and Tikki two other times?" 

Tali shook her head. "I think, in the past millennium I've seen them with five other holders, not counting those two." 

"Do Ladybugs and Cats always get together?" Casey asked. 

"Sometimes, sometimes not," Tali answered. "Sometimes they're kept apart by tragedy, sometimes they're just not meant to be. But most of the time, there's an unbreakable bond between them. They're Yin and Yang." 

"That's certainly Plagg and Tikki to a T." 

As if on cue, Plagg and Tikki went zooming past Casey, with Plagg chasing Tikki. Casey watched with an amused smile as they played their little game around the living room. 

"I'm not hugging you while you have cheese breath!" Tikki protested. 

"C'mon, Sugar Cube!" Plagg teased. "My breath doesn't smell that bad." 

"Yes it does!" Tikki argued. "You desperately need a breath mint!" 

Tali rolled her eyes and went after the cat kwami. "Plagg, leave Tikki alone!" Her attempt at an intervention was ignored. "Plagg, I'll get Casey to buy catnip!" 

Plagg froze in midair and glanced at Tali in horror. Casey, Adrien and Marinette were all caught off guard by Tali's threat. Tikki let out a small giggle and sought refuge in Marinette's pigtails. Casey found herself curious. 

"What happens if I get catnip?" Casey inquired. 

Plagg's eyes widened. "You don't need to know what happens." 

"No, I think I do," Casey replied. "You've piqued my interest." 

"Mine too," Adrien piped. "I've never tried catnip on Plagg before." 

"He's a cat," Tikki stated with a giggle. "Take a guess." 

"Tikki," Plagg whined. 

"Remind me to put catnip on the shopping list," Casey said, winking at Adrien. "That's something I absolutely _have_ to see for myself." 

"Tell me when you do it," Adrien replied. "I want to record it." 

Plagg hissed at the two siblings. "Don't you dare. I am the God of Destruction. I am not some house cat!" 

"Of course not, Plagg," Tali replied, stretching out the sentence. "You're a house kitten." 

Plagg leveled an unamused glare at Tali. "I will end you, Feather Head." 

"I thought I was Feather Head," Casey piped with a mischievous smirk.

"You're both Feather Head," Plagg grumbled, nesting in Adrien's hair to sulk. 

"You know you love us, Plagg," Adrien replied, scratching Plagg's head. 

All of them heard Plagg let out a purr, much to his chagrin. Casey couldn't stop from letting out a small chuckle and settled herself on the couch. Plagg pouted for a grand total of an hour. He eventually left Adrien's hair and settled on Casey's lap when Adrien became to absorbed in the video games to give him any attention. There was mild teasing traded between the kwamis and their chosens until dinner was ready, which Plagg nearly dove headfirst into, had Tikki not grabbed his foot. Casey would admit, life was never dull when three kwamis were involved.


	20. Birthdays Pt. 1

The next day at school, Adrien walked up to Marinette, took her hand and gave her a kiss. He didn't realize how much he'd wanted to greet her at school like that until he'd done it. Marinette also seemed incredibly happy with the development. When they walked inside, many of their classmates walked up to gush and ask questions. He found it a little funny that they were going so crazy over them getting together. He and Marinette were also not oblivious to Lila silently steaming in the corner, shooting them death glares when she thought no one was looking. 

For a while, everything was almost peaceful at school. Lila was remarkably silent and stepped out of the spotlight, though Marinette and Adrien knew better than to let their guard down. They continued individually searching out their classmates and clubs and bringing Lila's behavior to light. Juleka was particularly angry to learn the truth. Apparently Lila had told Rose that she could get Kitty Section in touch with some big names in the music industry, including one of Rose's idols. Thinking of the disappointment Rose would have upon learning about Lila's deceit enraged her so much that it took Marinette, Adrien, Luka, Alix and Nathaniel to effectively calm her down. Thank goodness there were no more akumas because they were terrified of how powerful a villain Juleka could have turned into. Juleka was quick to offer Adrien and Marinette an apology for not stepping in when she should've known that Lila was stirring up drama. They were quick to reassure her that they weren't upset with her and that it wasn't her fault. 

Once Juleka was in the know, they talked to the rest of Kitty Section. They were all a little bit skeptical until Juleka and Alix stepped in to explain that Adrien and Marinette were right about Lila. Rose was devastated at letting herself be used against her own friends and being tricked into being one of Lila's little pawns. Ivan was silently fuming. Marinette was a little worried that Juleka would get pissed again at seeing Rose's reaction, but Juleka took to comforting her, thankfully. Ivan was quick to call Mylene and tell her everything, which brought Mylene to the Liberty to hear the whole story from Adrien and Marinette and then give them a dozen apologies. That only left one person in the class unaware of Lila's lies: Sabrina. 

There wasn't much they could do about Sabrina. It was a lot like when Marinette had tried to get her to stop doing all of Chloe's work. Even Chloe couldn't talk to Sabrina and get her to see the truth. Some hurtful words were said that day, and Adrien and Marinette had to console Chloe in the safety of the nurse's office. Other than the loyal followers Lila had cultivated in the younger classes, word was quickly spreading to the rest of the school that Lila was in fact, a pathological liar and that you could hardly trust a word that came out of her mouth. Seeing people google things in the middle of one of Lila's stories became commonplace, though no one had yet to publicly confront her, and no one wanted to try and confront her about it privately. Marinette would have liked to try, but she knew that it probably wouldn't end well. The only thing that it would accomplish was putting a target on someone's back and she wasn't about to let anyone else get caught in Lila's sights. 

Not only were the students catching onto her, Ms. Bustier had begun to notice things about Lila's behavior as more and more of the class drifted away from her. She spotted Lila's attempts sit near Adrien, how she made him uncomfortable and how she whispered disparaging things about students she didn't like. It concerned Ms. Bustier. She started attempting to email Mrs. Rossi about it, but had no luck scheduling a conference with her. None of her contact information worked. While she couldn't speak to Lila's mother, Ms. Bustier began taking measures to keep Lila separated from Adrien. The boy was finally happy and he'd been through enough. He didn't need unwanted attention from someone that clearly made him nervous. She made a note to herself to contact Adrien's older sister. Casey proved much easier to contact than Lila's mother and when Ms. Bustier listed her concerns, Casey confirmed that Lila made Adrien incredibly uncomfortable and that she had been doing her best to teach Adrien how to keep her from crossing his boundaries. 

"I would have brought it up with the school myself, but Adrien didn't want to make a fuss," Casey explained. "With all that's happened, I didn't want to push him into a confrontation he couldn't handle. He's gotten better at handling conflict, but if it gets too big he starts to get pretty anxious." 

"That is completely understandable, Ms. Barbereau," Ms. Bustier replied. "I'll do everything I can to make sure he feels safe in my classroom." 

"I appreciate that. I'm glad that he's got a good teacher looking out for him." 

Then, the day Adrien had been eagerly waiting for finally came. Monday, September fifteenth. Casey's birthday! He woke up earlier than usual, rousing a grumpy Plagg and made his way into the kitchen to make breakfast. He had asked Marinette to teach him how to make banana bread muffins, which he'd learned were Casey's favorite. Once the batch was in the oven, he started making a pot of coffee. As the batch finished baking, he heard Casey's alarm go off. Adrien ran back into his room and grabbed a neatly wrapped box from under his bed and placed it on the counter. He was bouncing with excitement. Hopefully she'd like his present. 

Casey walked into the kitchen and blinked at the box then glanced over at Adrien. "What's all this for?" 

"It's September fifteenth," Adrien stated. Casey blinked a few times with a blank face and Adrien laughed. "You mean you forgot your own birthday?" 

"Oh," Casey replied. "It's already the fifteenth? Damn. I'm twenty. I feel old." 

"You're not old," Adrien replied, pulling her over to her seat. "And I made muffins, and there's coffee and this is your birthday present." 

Casey ruffled his hair. "That's sweet, Adrien, but you didn't have to get me a present. A simple 'Happy Birthday' would've been all I needed." 

"But I wanted to," he said, giving her a hug. "You've done so much for me, and this is a way to repay you just a little bit." 

"I'm your sister. I'm just doing my job." 

"Well, I'm your brother, and doing this for your birthday is my job." 

"Thank you, Adrien." 

"So, are you doing anything fun while I'm at school?" he asked as he went to pull out the muffins. 

"Charlie's dropping in today and he and Arthur have some secret surprise planned," Casey answered. "Don't suppose they've told you anything about it." 

Adrien shook his head. "All I did was give Arthur Charlie's number. Do you want to open your present?" 

"I'll save it for the end of the day. It'll be a nice surprise after dealing with Aston," Casey answered, tapping the box. "Though I am incredibly curious. What have you got planned, Kit-Cat?" 

Adrien gave an innocent shrug. "Well that's just something you'll have to find out after you finish work." 

"Fair enough," Casey replied. "Also, Mom, Dad and Daisy are coming from Portsmouth this weekend to celebrate with us." 

Adrien gave Casey a smug smile. 

"What's that look for?" 

"You called Charles 'Dad'." 

Casey's eyes widened. "Huh. I guess I did. That...is a first." 

"She's twenty and she's finally calling him dad!" Adrien teased, glancing over at Plagg and Tali. 

"Says the boy who called Felice and Josue aunt and uncle just two weeks ago," Casey retorted. 

The morning quickly dissolved into a teasing match between the two as they got ready. Plagg and Tali occasionally added to the teasing and there were plenty of laughs in the apartment that morning. Casey pulled up to the school to drop Adrien off, to find Marinette, Chloe, Alya and Nino waiting happily. Adrien rolled down his window and Marinette handed Casey a gift bag. 

"Happy birthday, Casey," she said with a smile. "This is just a little something I made." 

"Thanks, Marinette," Casey replied, opening the gift. She pulled out a beanie in her favorite color with an eagle embroidered on it. "Aw, Marinette, this is wonderful. You didn't have to." 

"Of course I did," Marinette stated. 

"Happy birthday, Casey," Chloe piped. 

"Yeah, happy birthday," Alya added. 

"Happy birthday, dudette," Nino said, flashing her a thumbs up. 

Casey turned to see Adrien smirking in his seat. "Did you tell _all_ your friends about my birthday?" she asked with a chuckle. 

" _Maybe_." 

"Thanks guys," Casey stated. "I've gotta get to work. I'll see you later." 

"Bye, Casey. Love you," Adrien replied, giving her a quick hug. 

Casey went to the Garage and was promptly wished a happy birthday and hugged by Jouse, then Dee, who overheard, let out a happy squeal and wished Casey a happy birthday. 

"During break, you and I should go shopping to celebrate," Dee suggested. 

"Thanks, Dee, but some of my friends are coming later to take me out," Casey replied. "Maybe we can go tomorrow?" 

Dee paused for a moment then gave an enthusiastic nod. "Yeah, definitely tomorrow. Then I can have some time to find shops that you might like. It'll be a girls' field trip." 

Casey watched as Dee went back to the shop. Over the last few weeks, Dee had grown on her, and, yes, Casey had finally gotten into the habit of calling her Dee. Dee had also learned all the habits of the Garage, remembering to knock when she came in, where everyone kept their tools and when Casey restocked the cooler. She wasn't sure how, but they clicked pretty well. Whenever Casey was the only one in the Garage and the shop wasn't busy, Dee would come in and they'd talk about girl stuff. It was kind of nice and reminded Casey of some of the conversations she had with Aria. 

Casey, Josue and Aston all got to work. Josue was quick to assign cars to them when they came in. Casey found herself dealing with a pretty banged-up SUV, but after fixing up her beetle, she felt confident that she could handle it. Aston got handed a little sedan that was having some AC and brake problems. Josue took on a monster of a hatchback. One look at it and Casey was glad Josue was the one fixing it and not her. The Garage was alive with the sounds of mechanics at work. Casey and Josue were mostly underneath their cars. Casey would fire an occasional question at Josue when he made the rounds to check on her and Aston's progress. 

About five minutes before her break, Casey spotted Arthur and Charlie making their way towards the Garage. She gave them a wave and started tidying up her station. She noticed Aston glaring at her from his spot as Josue walked into the shop to check on Dee. For some reason, that was how he always looked at her. With a glare. He had been trying to weasel his way into being Josue's second-in-command, causing more and more animosity between him and Casey. Casey ignored him and continued organizing everything. He cleared his throat, causing Casey to roll her eyes. 

"Something I can help you with, Aston?" Casey asked, keeping her tone curt. 

"What makes you think I need help?" He replied sharply. 

"You're glaring at me and clearing your throat to get my attention before I leave for my break." 

"I just want to know your secret," Aston admitted. 

"The secret to _what_?" 

"You're little con," Aston stated sharply. "No one as young as you knows how to do what you do. So, what's your secret? You have a phone out with all answers? Do you have someone coming in when Mr. Courbet's not around to do your work?" 

"I don't believe this," Casey grumbled. "You're so egotistical that you don't think I just know what I'm doing? Can't stand playing second fiddle to someone that's four years younger than you?" 

Charlie and Arthur noticed Casey's voice starting to rise and quickened their pace. As soon as Arthur got inside the Garage his eyes started widening and he tapped Charlie nervously on the arm. 

"No one just _knows_ what they're doing!" Aston snapped. "Especially not a little _girl_ like you!" 

"You got a problem with my being a girl?" Casey asked, dropping her curt tone, ready to let her temper fly. 

"Maybe I do! What are you gonna do about it _Casey_?!" 

Casey wanted to reach up and punch him. She wanted to sock him right in the eye. She would've liked nothing more than to take him down a peg. She saw Josue walk back in and he immediately noticed the confrontation. As much as she wanted to, Casey respected her uncle too much to put him in a situation where he'd have to deal with her assaulting another of his employees.

"I knew it," Aston sneered when Casey started walking away. "You're a fraud. Sooner or later, you'll be working in the shop with Deidra where you belong. Then you'll stop deluding yourself into thinking you're a mechanic." 

There was a distinct sound of skin hitting skin. Aston got knocked over on the floor and Casey saw Charlie standing over him with his fist clenched tight. 

"Charlie!" she exclaimed.

Charlie glared at Aston as he pulled himself up and covered a bloody nose. "You deserve worse, you prat! Casey's one of the best there is!" 

"Casey," Josue interjected firmly. "I think it's best that you take Charlie and go. I'll talk to you when you get back." 

Casey nodded and pulled Charlie out towards her car. Arthur followed, glancing nervously between Aston and Charlie. Charlie made a few attempts to get in another hit, but Casey held onto his arm tightly. 

"Charlie, stop it," she hissed. "You already socked him, don't try a second time." 

"But-" 

"No buts. You're on thin ice. Please, just think for a moment. Let Uncle Josue handle it." 

When they finally got to Casey's car, Charlie stopped trying to go back, but he was still seething. Casey rubbed circles on his back, trying to get him to cool down.

"That was...intense," Arthur commented. "I don't think I've ever seen someone so angry." 

"Sorry," Casey replied. "He was _really_ pushing my buttons." 

"Not you. I mean, you were angry, but, I meant him," Arthur clarified, gesturing to Charlie. "Soon as we walked in he was like a ticking time bomb."

"You heard what he said to Casey!" Charlie exclaimed. "If anything, I should've punched him harder." 

Casey took Charlie's hand and looked at his knuckles. "I think you broke his nose, and as much as I appreciate you defending my honor, you could get in serious trouble," she stated. "You hit him pretty hard. Good thing you didn't hurt your hand. Do you know how bad it could be if you'd hit wrong? You could've broken a bone." 

"Your concern is touching," Charlie replied with a smirk. "But breaking a bone would've been worth it to put that sexist son of a-" 

"Why don't we get going?" Arthur interjected with a nervous chuckle. "After all, we do have a surprise planned for the birthday girl." 

"Sorry Arthur. Forgot that conflict kind of sets you off," Casey said, unlocking the car. "With any luck, there will be no more of it for the rest of your visit." 

"Unless I see that ass again," Charlie grumbled. 

Casey let the comment slide considering that Charlie's assessment of her coworker was fairly accurate. Charlie's anger gradually disappeared as he and Arthur directed her to wherever they wanted to take her. No matter how many times she asked where they were going, they refused to tell her. When they arrived at their destination, Casey's jaw dropped. 

"No way," she said breathlessly. 

"Welcome, Casey Barbereau, to the Jazz a la Villette," Charlie stated, sweeping his arm to showcase the Parc de la Villette. 

The park was buzzing with people, heading to different the different halls where concerts were being held. Casey gaped in awe at the sight. 

"I think she likes it," Arthur said, leaning forward. "You said she likes jazz, right?" 

"Yup. Not as much as she loves rock, but Casey _loves_ her jazz music. Her mom introduced it to her when she was pretty young," Charlie replied. "Now, Casey, we've lined up performances with two of your absolute favorites-" 

"You didn't." 

"Oh, yes we did," Charlie continued. "We will be escorting you to see performances featuring the brilliant and wonderful ZAZ _and_ your all-time favorite saxophonist, David El-Malek." 

Casey let out an excited shriek and pulled them into a hug. "You guys are the best! C'mon, lets go!" 

Arthur and Charlie had to cling to Casey's arm to keep her from slipping away in the crowds. Arthur noticed that even when Casey was standing still, Charlie still held her hand. Casey was beyond thrilled. Her eyes lit up with every song that was played. The two boys didn't want to pull her away from the festival to take her back to work. Charlie's annoyance at having to take her back to the Garage while a _certain_ unnamed coworker was still there was obvious to both Arthur and Casey. They stopped for a quick lunch on the way back. While Arthur went to go place their orders, Charlie handed Casey a small box. 

"Charlie, you already took me to the festival. You didn't have to," Casey said, glancing at him with a small smile. 

"You're my best friend," Charlie replied. "I wanted to. Besides, the festival was Arthur's idea and me, Danny and Aria chipped in. This is a present just from me." 

Casey opened the box and pulled out a woven leather bracelet with a silver horse charm. 

"You always struck me as a horse type of person," Charlie stated. "Strong, free-spirited. I thought it fit." 

"Thank you, Charlie. I love it," Casey replied. 

Charlie scooted closer to Casey. "Here. Let me," he said, helping her put the bracelet on. 

Arthur came back with their food a moment later. He did not fail to notice the sudden proximity between the two and worked hard not to smirk. Small talk filled the table as they ate. Eventually, they went back to the Garage. Casey bid them goodbye and thanked them for the nice time out. She was too happy with her day to care about Aston's grumbling. Dee came in and started grilling her about it and Casey gladly told her what happened, and showed her the bracelet from Charlie. 

"So, is Charlie your boyfriend?" Dee asked. 

"What?" Casey sputtered, her face turning red. "N-No. I mean...He's my best friend. We're just really close." 

"Mhm. So it's totally normal that he went out of his way to take you to the jazz festival to see some of your favorite artists and then gave you that little bracelet that you are refusing to get even a little bit dirty?" 

"It's brand new," Casey stated. "I don't want it getting greased up. And what does that have to do with anything?" 

"Oh, nothing," Dee replied. "Except for the fact that you hardly ever care about getting anything you wear dirty." 

"You are reading way too much into this." 

Dee shook her head. "Poor Casey. Denial is not just a river in Egypt." 

Casey flicked her grease covered hand in Dee's direction, causing her to shriek and head back to the shop. Casey tried hard to get her face to stop looking like a tomato and focused on her work. She and Charlie were best friends. That was the only way she'd ever described their relationship. Casey did not notice her uncle's smirk as she zeroed in on the car she was working on. 

When the Garage closed up, Casey went upstairs to see Adrien at the stove with Plagg, making dinner. 

"Adrien, what are you making?" she asked. 

"Blanquette de Veau," he answered. "It's your favorite, right? That's what Daisy said." 

Casey nodded. "Yes. It's my favorite. Mom made it all the time when I was little. Every time we moved to a new place it was the first thing she'd make. Did you text her for the recipe?" 

"Yup. How's it look?" Adrien asked. 

Casey looked into the pot and saw the velvety, white broth, the vegetables and veal meat simmering. "It looks great. You're just full of surprises today, aren't you? Where'd you learn to cook?" 

"Dupain-Chengs," Adrien replied. "Sometimes they teach me how to cook when I'm over with Marinette." 

Casey grabbed a small spoon and took a sample of the broth. "They're teaching you well," she commented. "Maybe add a dash of salt." 

"I think it needs cheese," Plagg piped, holding up a slice of camenbert. 

"Put that in my stew and I will douse you in ice water," Adrien threatened, scowling at the kwami. 

Plagg gasped dramatically and hugged his cheese. "You wouldn't! I thought we were friends! You were my kitten!" 

"Your kitten has finally learned to use his claws," Tali stated, perching on the fridge. "That's what happens when they get older." 

"Well, I'll leave the cooking to you three while I go get freshened up," Casey interjected. "Don't burn down the apartment." 

"We won't," they chorused. 

When Casey returned to the kitchen, Adrien had finished the stew and was ready to serve it. Mr and Mrs. Dupain-Cheng really knew how to teach, because it tasted exactly the way Evelyn had made the stew. She said as much and Adrien didn't stop smiling for the rest of the evening. Casey helped him clean up the kitchen and then he handed her the box from that morning. 

"The day is almost over," Adrien pointed out. 

Casey took the box and started peeling away the wrapping paper. There were two things in the box. The first she pulled out was a small throw pillow with 1965 Jaguar E-Type cross stitched in the middle. 

"This is wonderful, Adrien," Casey said, running her hand over the stitching. "Did you make it yourself?" 

Adrien nodded. "Marinette helped me. She taught me how to cross-stitch and then helped me find a pattern. Look at the other thing." 

The other object in the box was a car model kit. Looking at it, Casey saw that it was a 1972 Monica 560. The first car she'd ever worked on, and one of the few she didn't have a model for. 

"You remembered my first car project?" 

"Well, yeah. How could I not? You left a spot on the shelf empty specifically for it because you knew you'd always love it no matter what other cars you worked on," Adrien replied. 

Casey wrapped Adrien in a tight hug. "Thank you. This is incredibly thoughtful and I love it." 

"So, can you say it was a good twentieth birthday?" 

"It is the best birthday I could've asked for," Casey replied. "Do you want to help me put this model together?" 

"Yes!" Adrien answered excitedly. 

They made their way to the kitchen and got to work. Casey wouldn't have traded that night for anything else in the world. Adrien listened carefully as she taught him how to put certain parts together. Just putting the model together with him was one of the best gifts ever. She hoped she could make Adrien's birthday as good as he'd made hers.


	21. Birthdays Pt. 2

Just three days later, it was Casey's turn to make her brother's day. She and Tali were up and ready to go. Breakfast was simple. Omelettes with some fruit and some bacon. She checked her phone to look over their schedule for the day. Work and school were there, the delivery was scheduled to be during her lunch break and Josue was going to help her get it into the apartment. Adrien had Basketball practice after school, then his friends had asked to take him to a surprise party. Casey had agreed to it and promised that she, Josue and Felice would be there once they got everything at the apartment set up. Their dinner reservations were just after the party, and then they'd have the rest of the evening to relax at home. Casey nodded in satisfaction. Everything would go right today and her brother would love his fifteenth birthday. 

Speaking of the birthday boy, Adrien shuffled into the kitchen with Plagg at his side. He let out a yawn as he sat down for breakfast. 

"Happy birthday, Adrien," Casey said, handing him his breakfast plate. 

"You remembered?" 

"Of course I remembered," Casey replied. "You're my little brother. And I think you'll like what we've got planned for today."

"We?" Adrien asked. "Does that just mean you, Uncle Josue and Aunt Felice or _everybody_?" 

"You'll find out," she answered. 

Adrien got a little giddy. He was sure today would be a great birthday. Other than last year, which only half counted since Nino had been an akuma, Adrien had never really had surprises for his birthday or gotten to have a party. He also knew that tomorrow, Daisy, Evelyn and Charles would be visiting to celebrate with them. He still couldn't believe that they were coming all the way to Paris just to be with him and Casey for their birthdays. He caught Casey smiling as she cleaned up the kitchen and had to wonder exactly what it was that she had planned. 

Casey didn't give Adrien any hints, which he should have expected. He hadn't given her any hints. Why would she spoil the surprise? She told him to have a good day at school and messed up his hair like she usually did. 

"Happy birthday, Adrien," Marinette said as he walked up to the door. 

"Where's everybody else?" he asked, noticing the absence of Nino, Alya and Chloe. 

"They already went inside," she replied. "Said they had to make sure they had some final details worked out." 

"For what?" 

"For something that you'll get to see later," Marinette stated. 

"Everyone's doing a surprise today," Adrien commented with a smile. 

"At least they're going to be good surprises," Marinette replied. 

Marinette and Adrien walked around the school for a little bit before class. A few people wished him a happy birthday as they walked around. When Adrien entered the classroom for homeroom, his friends and Ms. Bustier said happy birthday. 

"Hey, bro," Nino whispered as he sat down. "After you practice, come to the park with me and Kim." 

"Ok. Let me clear it with Casey," Adrien whispered back. 

"We already did. She's cool with it," Nino replied. 

"Really?" 

"Yeah. You are free to enjoy the company of friends on your birthday."

Nino had nothing else to say and focused on Ms. Bustier's lesson. Adrien tried his best to do the same, but he kept comparing this year to all the birthdays before. Casey was letting him go out with friends after basketball practice. She'd wished him a happy birthday personally. She had planned something for him, all on her own. Well, he guessed that she had a little help, but the point still stood. Even when his mom had been alive, he'd never gotten so much on his birthday. Gabriel had been pretty stern about birthdays. He usually would have gotten to just see Chloe and that was it.

Throughout the whole day Adrien received 'happy birthday's, whether it was in passing in the hall or when he entered a classroom and sat down at his desk. Even Ms. Mendeleiv said it, which was a little unusual. Sure, she cared about her students, but she didn't normally do that. His friends all made an effort to make his day a good one. When they had free time in class, Nino, Kim and Max would sit with Adrien and play card games or listen to some music. The girls made sure to set him and Marinette up with a nice lunch date and Marinette brought him some of his favorite macaroons. When he and Plagg were somewhere private, Plagg gave him a a black kwagatama. He showed it to Marinette, and she showed him the kwagatama on her necklace that she had gotten from Tikki. 

"They're really cool," Adrien stated, holding his gingerly. 

"They are something special," Marinette agreed. 

"I wonder if Casey has one," Adrien mused. 

"She probably does," Tikki piped. "Given how long she and Tali have been together, I'd be surprised if she didn't." 

"I'll bet she'd be happy to show you if you asked," Marinette suggested. 

"She would," Plagg agreed. "Feather Head likes answering questions." 

Adrien tucked his kwagatama into his pocket. "I'll ask when I get home." 

The bell rang, signaling for them to get to their next class and Adrien and Marinette parted ways. The rest of Adrien's day went well. He was delighted that he didn't have any homework to do and he was ready for basketball at the end of the day. Coach Martin and the team wished him a happy birthday before he started drilling them. Practice was long, hard, sweaty and fun. Ever since the first practice, Adrien had been getting closer with everyone on the team. There were still instances where their communication on the court could use a little more work, but for the most part, they were a well oiled machine. He loved every minute of practice. As practice got closer to ending, he became antsy. Kim noticed and flashed him an amused smile. Adrien was excited to see what he and Nino had at the park. Thankfully, the small distraction did not lead to any balls bouncing off of his head. 

Adrien took his time getting out of the locker room. He wanted to make sure he wasn't drowning in sweat and he at least smelled decent. Nino and Kim were waiting for him by the door with conspiratory smiles. It made him even more excited for what they had planned. 

"You ready for this, dude?" Nino asked. 

"You bet," Adrien replied. "I've been waiting for this all day." 

"Then we won't keep you in suspense any longer," Kim stated. "To the park!" 

Nino and Kim practically ran. Adrien jogged behind them, not wanting to exert too much of his energy. He had just gotten out of practice. The boy needed food, not more running. Still, the two boys didn't let up their pace. They led him over to the carousel where lights and a big banner were hanging up. There were a few snacks and drinks piled on one of the picnic tables while another had a small pile of presents. As soon as Adrien stopped, his friends jumped out from various hiding spots with a resounding 'SURPRISE!' 

"Whoa," Adrien said. "You guys put together a whole party for me?" 

"And without needing to send people to space," Nino joked, giving him a small nudge in the side with his elbow. 

"We asked Casey about it and she thought it would be a great idea," Alya piped. 

"She knew about it?" 

"Well we weren't going to lie to her," Kagami answered. "That would have been a cause for disaster." 

"She did say she'd be here a little late," Marinette added. "She didn't want to come and still be in her work clothes." 

"So, let's get this party started!" Nino cheered, making his way to the stage to DJ. 

The party was great. Adrien was having the time of his life. He didn't think he could be happier, then Casey, Josue and Felice showed up. Josue and Felice sat at one of the picnic tables, watching the kids have fun. 

"This is your party to have fun with your friends," Felice said when he'd asked why they were sitting out. "And we're content to watch you have fun. Besides, we'll have time with you afterwards."

Casey had a very different attitude. She was chatting with Adrien's friends, telling jokes and having fun. Adrien thought most people would have been mortified to be stuck at their little brother's birthday party. Casey caught Adrien's smile and shrugged her shoulders. 

"Just because I'm twenty doesn't mean I can't have fun with my brother at his own party," she stated. "I'm not too old to do that." 

She pulled him into the crowd as they started a dancing game. It was definitely the most fun Adrien had ever had at a party. Nino and Kitty Section took turns with the music. As the sun went down and the snacks vanished, they gathered around as Adrien opened up the gifts. Nino had gotten him a pair of headphones, Kagami had gotten him a new fencing bag, Luka gave him a new vinyl record of Jagged Stone's latest album, Chloe gave him a picture of them with his sisters from when they'd met at the ice rink and Alya gave him a new hero-themed phone case. Adrien was incredibly thankful. He saw how each gift had a bit of his friends in them. He was left speechless when he opened the gift Marinette gave him. It was a hand-made throw pillow, much nicer than the one he'd made for Casey. A Yin and Yang symbol was embroidered on it, with the ladybug symbol in the Yin and a cat's paw in the Yang. 

"Happy birthday, Adrien," Marinette said, giving him a small kiss. 

"You are fantastic," Adrien replied. "I love this." 

With gifts opened and many people ready to head home, everyone cleaned up the park. Casey took all of Adrien's gifts and put them in the trunk of her car. Once everyone was on their way home, Casey and Adrien got into their little beetle and waited for Josue and Felice to lead the way to wherever they were going for dinner. While they were waiting, Adrien pulled out his kwagatama. 

"What'cha got there?" Casey asked. 

Adrien held it up. "Plagg gave it to me earlier," he answered. "Tikki said you probably had one too." 

"Yup." 

Casey reached into her pocket and pulled out a small piece of para-cord with a gold kwagatama and a few clay beads. She handed it to Adrien for him to look at. 

"Wow. When did you get yours?" Adrien asked. 

"Tali gave it to me for my twelfth birthday. And she gave me these clay beads for every fours years I trained with my Miraculous," Casey answered. 

Adrien turned the four beads in his fingers. "I guess they would've added up pretty quickly if you got one every year." 

"Then they'd be on a bracelet, not that little cord." 

"Is it always in your pocket?" 

Casey shook her head. "Sometimes I leave it on my dresser, sometimes it's in my pocket." 

Adrien handed the cord back to Casey. They saw Josue and Felice pull into traffic and followed them. They led them to a quiet little restaurant near the Seine. It was warm and cozy. Felice had reserved a booth right next to the window where they could look out at the river and the buildings on the other side. It was pretty in the dark. The lights reflected off of the water and Adrien could see the Eiffel Tower shining against the night sky. Paris was showing its own stars to the sky while the constellations looked down at them. 

"So, has it been a good fifteenth birthday?" Felice asked. 

Adrien gave an enthusiastic nod. "The best. I don't think I've ever had this much fun on my birthday." 

Casey tried not to let frown at the statement. If it had been any other kid, she would have just brushed it off as hyperbole, but with Adrien? She knew better. She knew enough about Gabriel to know that he probably didn't really let Adrien have a lot of fun on his birthday. She kicked the thought out of her head. Tonight was about Adrien, about showing how much he was loved and about celebrating him. She was not going to let Gabriel intrude in her thoughts and ruin that. 

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I am starving," Casey stated. "So, how about getting some food?" 

"I second that," Adrien replied. "I'm running on fumes." 

"Teenagers. They're bottomless pits," Felice teased. "All that growing takes a lot of food." 

"Technically, Casey's not a teenager anymore," Adrien pointed out. 

"That just takes away my excuse," Casey mock whispered. "I really am a bottomless pit." 

"You know your aunt isn't deaf," Josue whispered back, leaning across the table. 

The three of them caught Felice's expression. One of her eyebrows was raised while the rest of her face remained comically stoic. Casey was the first to start chuckling. Adrien quickly followed. Josue attempted to keep himself under control, but ultimately failed and started giggling with his niece and nephew. Felice shook her head and smiled, waiting for the three of them to get control of themselves. 

Once their quiet laughing was under control, the waiter came over and took their orders. Felice asked Adrien how his school year was going, happy to hear him go one about how he was loving basketball and fencing and spending time with Marinette during his free time at school. Josue lightly teased him about having a little girlfriend and little puppy love. 

"You tease him, but at least he asked her out promptly," Casey piped. "Mr. 'let-me-date-my-girlfriend-for-almost-a-decade-before-finally-proposing-when-it's-obvious-I-love-her.'" 

"Better watch it, Casey," Felice replied. "I could say something that would change your tune." 

"Yeah, right," Casey scoffed. "Doubt it, Aunt Felice." 

"You _are_ Little Miss 'let-me-dance-around-my-feelings-for-my-best-friend,'" Felice stated. 

"Wait, you mean she likes Charlie?" Adrien asked, grinning at his sister. 

Casey's ears turned red. "That's not- I don't- He's just a friend," she stammered.

Adrien's eyes widened. He knew that phrase. He couldn't stop himself from giggling. 

"What?" Casey asked. "What's so funny?" 

"Nothing," Adrien answered. "Except that I used to say that about Marinette all the time." 

"Must be a genetic trait then," Josue commented. 

"Sh-shut up," Casey ordered, pulling her hood down over her face. 

"Don't dish it if you can't take it," Felice sang. 

"This is cruel," Casey mumbled. 

The red from Casey's ears had spread across her face and they decided to stop teasing her. For the moment. Adrien knew exactly what he was going to talk to Daisy about when she got to Paris tomorrow. Oo, they were going to have so much fun with this. The conversation drifted away from the feelings Casey may or may not have for a certain boy and onto what Adrien was doing at school. He mentioned bits and pieces of lessons and projects that were coming up. He got to talking about his friends and mentioned stuff like Nathaniel and Marc's comic books and Nino's latest piece of music. They listened to Adrien ramble the entire time, sometimes asking questions or making a light, teasing comment. Adrien loved every bit of it. He loved knowing that they wanted to listen to him and ask him questions. When Adrien ran out of things to say, he started asking Josue and Felice about what they were doing. Felice talked about some of her work at an after-school program and some of the kids she got to work with. Josue talked about the Garage, with Casey adding some of her own commentary. 

"I must say, I've been happy with Dee," Josue stated. "She's a good worker." 

"Dee's great," Casey confirmed. "I still don't understand why you hired _Aston_. Especially after what he said the other day." 

"I'm looking for a different person to hire, then I'll fire him," Josue replied. "I would've fired him the other day, but then Charlie punched him." 

"Charlie punched him? What did he do?" Adrien asked. 

"Called me a fraud and made a pretty sexist comment," Casey answered. "So Charlie decked him. Broke his nose pretty bad."

"So that was Aston's problem with you? That you were a girl?" 

"Some people just don't like women being mechanics," Casey stated. "Knew that when I signed up." 

"So why not just fire him now?" 

"Because we need the extra hands," Josue explained. "After summer break, a lot of people that went traveling come back and need a lot of maintenance on their cars. We can't afford to fall too far behind, and we've been gaining a pretty positive reputation, so the Garage is getting a lot busier."

"Personally, I wouldn't trust Aston to rotate my tires," Casey remarked. "But, that's not for me to say in a professional setting." 

Any time Adrien heard Casey rant about Aston, he always got a little irritated. He didn't like that within his fist week, Aston had decided that Casey's spot was rightfully his and treated her like a child that didn't know what she was doing. So, maybe he was a little glad to hear that Josue was done with putting up with him and looking for someone else to take his spot. 

They finished their dinner and quickly paid their bill. Casey mentioned that there was one final surprise at home. Adrien's mind started buzzing with possibilities. He wanted to know right away what Casey had planned. Josue and Felice followed them back to the apartment and Adrien practically ran up the steps. He was a little impatient for Casey to open up the door. Plagg and Tali phased inside. Adrien was hoping Plagg would come back and give him a little hint about what was on the other side, but he assumed Tali had stopped him. When Casey finally unlocked the door, he dashed inside. Casey flipped on the light and Adrien's jaw dropped. 

Sitting against one of the walls in the living room was an upright piano. Adrien ran up to it and started running his fingers across the keys. He turned back with a giant smile on his face. 

"It's a piano! How did you get this?! You said it'd take forever to get one!" He exclaimed, bouncing on his feet. 

"I did some scouring on the internet," Casey explained. "Found a nice, older gentleman who posted this for sale at 300 euros." 

Adrien tackled Casey in a hug. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! This is the best present ever!" 

"Happy birthday, Adrien." 

"Why don't you play us a song?" Felice suggested. 

Adrien ran to the piano bench. Casey, Felice and Josue listened as he played the first song that came to his head. Casey would admit, her brother was a much more gifted musician than she could ever be. The smile on his face at playing the piano again was definitely worth the price and so much more. When Adrien finished his song, she, Felice and Josue clapped for him and he smiled proudly. 

"Casey, you should play with me!" Adrien said excitedly. 

"I don't know," Casey answered. "I mean...I can't really play." 

"Then I can teach you," Adrien replied. 

He gave her his kitten eyes. Casey glanced over at Felice and Josue, who gestured for her to join Adrien at the piano. Casey relented and took a seat next to him on the bench. Adrien started excitedly talking about where to place her hands and how to move her fingers to play a c major scale. They stayed at the piano for a long time, with Felice and Josue watching as Adrien taught Casey how to play a few simple songs. Casey certainly wasn't a natural, but she made an effort. Any time she managed to successfully play a little duet with Adrien, she smiled. Adrien knew that it didn't matter what they did for any of his other birthdays. This one would always be the best.


	22. Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so glad everyone is enjoying Winds of Change. Unfortunately, this fic will soon be coming to a close, but if any of you have your own ideas about adventures Casey, Adrien and Daisy could get into, write them yourself or shoot me a message and I'd be happy to write you a one-shot. 
> 
> A quick side note to the Lila's entering my comments section, fair warning, I am content to just ignore you and let you RP and whatnot, but if you start arguing with each other or other readers, I will delete your comments. I don't want to moderate my comments. I feel people should be able to express themselves, no matter how unproductive it may seem, but I will if it gets out of hand, so play nice.

Friday was quite uneventful. Casey and Adrien were excited for the Burtons' visit. Evelyn texted Casey that morning to tell her that they'd be in after Casey and Adrien got done with therapy. Adrien was waiting to talk to Daisy and come up with fun ways to tease Casey. Other than that, school was school and work was work. Casey found it a bit easier to put up with Aston, knowing that once Josue found him to take his spot that she'd never have to deal with him again. Casey went up to her apartment after work and changed into some clean clothes. She was about to settle on the couch when there was a knock at her door. Tali zoomed into her bedroom to hide while Casey went to see who had stopped by. 

Two people were on the other side, one was a boy who was practically Adrien's twin, except he was dressed in much nicer clothes than Adrien ever wore and he clearly seemed to be a stoic character, if his emotionless expression was anything to go off of. The woman, who Casey assumed was his mother, had her platinum blonde hair pulled neatly into a braid and had dark green eyes. She was dressed just as formally as her son, with black business pants and a black jacket over a grey blouse. She looked familiar, but Casey couldn't place it. 

"Hello. Are you Casey Barbereau?" the woman asked. 

Casey gave a stiff nod. "And you are?" 

"Amelie Graham de Vanily," she answered, shaking Casey's hand. "My assistant called you awhile ago. Well, you couldn't come to us, so I decided to come to you." 

"You're Adrien's aunt," Casey stated. "You're his mom's sister. That's why you look familiar." 

"Yes. Emilie and I were twins," Amelie replied. "And this is my son, Felix. May we come in?" 

Casey stepped aside, allowing them into her apartment. The judgmental look that crossed Felix's face did not escape Casey's notice. The apartment, thankfully, wasn't messy, but Casey still felt defensive about her home. And why did a fifteen year old feel the need to judge it? 

"So, is Adrien in?" Amelie inquired. 

"He's at fencing," Casey replied. "His friend Kagami is bringing him home. And we have therapy at six thirty, so..." 

"You've been going to therapy?" 

"Both of us, yeah." 

"Seems like it might be a waste of time," Felix mumbled. 

"Well when you find out your father is a psychotic super-villain, you kind of need to get over some issues," Casey replied sharply. "Is there any particular reason you're here, Ms. de Vanily?" 

"No need to be so formal. Please, call me Amelie." 

"Alright, Amelie." 

"To be honest, I was worried," Amelie continued. "When everything came to light, it was hard to imagine what Adrien must have been going through. I wanted to make sure he's in a good home." 

"Adrien is very resilient," Casey stated. "And he handled the transition incredibly well." 

"The size must have taken some time to get used to," Felix remarked. 

"Not everyone can afford a mansion," Casey replied, crossing her arms. 

"Please excuse Felix," Amelie interjected. "He didn't mean to come off as rude, merely making an observation." 

Casey looked between Amelie and Felix. Felix was certainly lacking in people skills. Casey doubted it was for the same reasons Adrien had had trouble with people. If Amelie were anything like Gabriel, Felix wouldn't have been here. He certainly wasn't hiding the fact that he was not a fan of Casey's lifestyle. If Amelie was critiquing it, she was hiding it a lot better than her son. She had to wonder what else the two of them were judging and suddenly felt glad that she wasn't in her work clothes anymore. 

"Truth be told, Casey, I was shocked to learn that Gabriel had a daughter," Amelie said calmly. "And you're still so young. You just turned twenty, didn't you?" 

Casey nodded. "A few days ago." 

"Exactly. You're in your young and wild years. And to already be responsible for another person? A teenager, no less." 

"Stop dancing around the point and just say what you want to say," Casey stated. "You don't think I should be taking care of him." 

"Well, one does have to wonder _why_ you would take him in," Felix piped. 

Casey couldn't stop herself from scowling. "If you're implying that I'm in it for Gabriel's money, I suggest you keep your mouth shut. I don't take kindly to being called a thief." 

"He did transfer all his assets to you," Felix pointed out. 

"He transferred them to Adrien. I haven't touched a single cent of his money and I don't ever intend to," Casey snapped. "I took my brother in because he's my brother and that's the only reason I needed." 

"We just want to make sure he's alright," Amelie replied. 

"Then where were you during the trial?" Casey asked. "Where were you when we were dealing with the media circus? Because the first time I heard _anything_ from you was two weeks ago when you had an assistant ask me to drop everything and go to London. Why weren't you here when it mattered the most?" 

Amelie flinched. "You're right. I didn't come, I didn't reach out. And I can understand why you are...hostile towards our questions." 

"Damn right, I'm hostile towards them," Casey stated. 

"Our family is complicated," Amelie continued. "More so now than it ever has been. Maybe waiting to have this discussion with you was a poor choice on my part. I will admit that. I just want to know that my nephew isn't being thrown into a family that is even more complicated. That he is happy here." 

"He is happy here," Casey replied, taking great care to lower her voice. "I'm more than happy that he's here, and my family already loves him beyond belief. _I_ love him beyond belief. My family might be a little messy, but it's far from complicated, and Adrien is a part of that family." 

Amelie examined Casey closely. She got that feeling in the back of her head that Amelie was analyzing her. Casey worked hard not to start scowling again. 

"You are different than what I expected, Casey," she stated. "I thought, that you might be more like Gabriel. It seems that whatever similarities you have are only skin deep." 

"I tend to take more after my mom," Casey said with a small smirk. "Thankfully." 

"I look forward to one day meeting her," Amelie replied. "And, if we have over-stayed our welcome, then we will gladly get out of your hair." 

Casey made a split second decision. Adrien would be upset to miss his aunt and cousin. While they might have gotten off on the wrong foot, Casey would make an effort to know them if it meant they could stay in Adrien's life. 

"Please, stay," Casey said. "I'm sure Adrien would be happy to see you. And I'm not too keen on keeping him from seeing family." 

Amelie seemed pleased at the invitation. She, Casey and Felix sat on the couch and talked for a little bit. Casey still found Felix to be judgmental, but he wasn't too stuck-up. He knew a lot for a kid his age, and she caught the slightest hint of a smile when she asked him about his school and his classes. Amelie talked a little bit about running Graham Films and how she used to work with Emilie, one being an actress and the other being a producer. Casey had a feeling that the two had made a good team. In return, Casey told them a little bit about her family. 

"Casey, I'm home!" Adrien called as he opened the door. 

"In the living room!" Casey called back. "There's some people here to see you!" 

Adrien came in and stared at the sight before him. "Aunt Amelie?" 

"Hello, Adrien," Amelie replied. "I was just having a lovely conversation with your sister about the studio." 

"What are you doing here?" Adrien asked, giving her a quick hug. 

"I decided it was high time I checked in on you," Amelie answered. "You look like you're doing well." 

"I am. Living with Casey's been great," Adrien replied. "You'll never guess what she did for my birthday yesterday. She let my friends throw me a surprise party, went to dinner with me, Aunt Felice and Uncle Josue and she got a piano, just for me." 

"Really? It sounds like you had a wonderful day. Speaking of birthdays," Amelie reached into her purse and pulled out a small, wrapped gift. 

"Thank you," Adrien said, unwrapping it to reveal a new book. 

" _Wuthering Heights_ ," Casey read. "I read that once. It's a good one." 

"I was sure you didn't have this one yet," Amelie stated. "I figured you'd enjoy it." 

Adrien quickly ran back to his room to put it on his bookshelf. He came back and started talking animatedly with Felix, though Felix didn't seem completely invested in the conversation. She glanced at the clock and noticed that it was getting pretty close to six thirty. 

"Thanks for coming over, but we've got to get to therapy," Casey said, pulling them out of their conversation. "You're welcome to come back when we're finished. My family is stopping in to celebrate our birthdays later." 

"I'd be delighted to meet them," Amelie replied. 

They left the apartment and Amelie and Felix decided to pass the time at the Lourve. Amelie enjoyed looking at the art. Felix didn't pay much attention to it, opting to go through the observations he'd made of Casey. If there hadn't been a paternity test, Felix wouldn't be able to believe that she was related to Gabriel. She acted so different from him. Loud, brash, direct, a stark contrast to Gabriel's approach to people, which was to quietly assess and manipulate situations to get what he wanted. Casey made it clear that her heart was on her sleeve, much like Adrien. 

"Felix, what are you thinking?" Amelie asked. "You haven't said a word since we left." 

"She's just so...open," Felix stated. "So different from other people. Most would have jumped at the money and the assets, but she refuses to touch it. She clearly dislikes Gabriel but already loves Adrien deeply, but wouldn't most people be bitter at finding that they had a little brother who got everything they never had?" 

"I suppose, there is more to the story than we are aware of," Amelie reasoned. "Perhaps we will learn more about it when we meet her family." 

"Will you ask her about the rings?" Felix inquired. 

Amelie shook her head. "No. If an opportunity arises, I'll be sure to ask, but I don't want to ask out of the blue. Especially after that less than stellar introduction." 

"She seemed to warm up to you in the end." 

"She seems a bit more hesitant around you," Amelie pointed out. "I don't think she took to kindly to your observations. They were a little harsh." 

"I can try and be more cordial," Felix replied with a small sigh. 

"Maybe you'll get along with someone in her family," Amelie mused. "They sound like very refreshing people to be around." 

"I suppose." 

"Finding people that are content with their lot in life is difficult," Amelie stated. "They are often the people you can trust the most, and see things in different terms than dollar signs and contracts. When you can, it is best to let them into your life." 

Felix and Amelie wandered through the museum for a little longer before deciding that it would be a good time to head back to Casey's apartment. Felix still couldn't understand why she lived above her work place. He certainly wouldn't want to live on top of a movie studio. It would get boring and tedious. Casey's car was parked in the alleyway, so he and Amelie headed up the stairs. Casey was in the kitchen and he smelled something delicious cooking. He peeked inside the kitchen to see Casey cooking some sausages. 

"Hey, Felix," Casey said, waving her spatula. "I hope you like bangers and mash." 

"I wasn't expecting you to like something like that," Felix commented. 

"I lived in Portsmouth for my formative years," Casey replied. "I'm as English as I am French. It is also the favorite dish of my dad and little sister." 

Felix left Casey in the kitchen and wandered back into Adrien's room. He had never seen his cousin display so much personality. There were bits and pieces of Adrien's interests in his old room, but it was mostly just stuff to keep him occupied. His room now? It practically screamed 'ADRIEN LIVES HERE'! It wasn't just the room that had changed. Felix had noticed Adrien's clothes and attitude had changed drastically. Now he didn't look so perfect and stiff. He looked...like a teenager. There was a slight knock on the door and Felix saw Adrien standing there. 

"Hey," Adrien said. 

"Why did you knock?" Felix inquired. "It's your room." 

"Force of habit," Adrien replied with a shrug. "First time I met Casey I startled her while she was working on a car and she hit her head. The more I saw her, the more I got into the habit of knocking so she'd know I was there." 

"So, you met her before you knew she was your sister?" 

Adrien nodded. "Both of us didn't know. Casey was the first to find out. Her mom told her after she'd been in Paris for about a month." 

"Interesting coincidence." 

"Uncle Josue thinks it was fate. That the universe planned for us to find each other." 

"Poetic," Felix said dryly. "So, how did you find out?" 

"Casey told me," Adrien answered. "Showed me a paternity that Gabriel had ordered. We're still not sure what made him decide to order it." 

"You never asked?" 

"He didn't even know I knew. And I didn't talk to him about it because it was kind clear that he and Casey didn't get along. He's said some pretty nasty things to her. He thinks she's the reason everything fell apart for him."

"Well that's just nonsense," Felix stated. 

"Yeah, she knows that. I think she just wants to forget about Gabriel and focus on the rest of our family." 

"What about you?" 

"I don't know yet." 

"Adrien, they're here!" Casey called.

Adrien smiled brightly. "Come on. You've got to meet the rest of our family." 

Adrien led Felix back into the living room. He spotted a woman who he assumed was Casey's mother, given the strong family resemblance and a man, who must have been Casey's step-father. 

"Adrien!" a young girl exclaimed, slamming into his cousin. 

"Hey, Daisy," Adrien replied, returning her enthusiastic hug. 

"You are not going to believe what I've been up to at school," Daisy said quickly. "It's absolutely awesome! We had this giant history project on the Middle Ages and everybody wanted to do their projects on when they were ending and the Renaissance started, but you know what I did mine on? The disasters! I did a whole project on the Great Famine and the Plague! It was awesome! My teacher said I was a natural historian!" 

Casey cleared her throat, getting Daisy to stop talking and look at Felix and Amilie. 

"I guess introductions are in order," Casey said. "Guys, this is Adrien's aunt, Amelie and his cousin Felix. This is my family. That's my mom, Evelyn, my dad, Charles and the little ball of energy talking about historical disasters is Daisy." 

"Hi," Daisy replied, waving at Felix and Amelie. "Since you're Adrien's cousin, does that make you my cousin too since he's my brother?" 

Felix glanced over at his mother, then at Casey, who was smiling in amusement. 

"I'm not sure-" he started. 

"Yeah, you're my cousin too," Daisy said firmly. "Welcome to the family! Are you a hugger?" 

"Not really," Felix answered quickly, taking a small step away from Daisy. 

Daisy shrugged. "Oh well. Anyways, happy birthday Adrien and Casey!" 

"Daisy, as much as you love your siblings, the volume needs to come down," Evelyn said with a small chuckle. 

"Sorry," she mock whispered. 

"It's lovely to meet you all," Amelie stated, shaking hands with Evelyn. "Your daughter is quite..." 

"Hyperactive?" Charles suggested. "Excitable? Yeah, she is. She'll only be like that for a few minutes. It takes a minute to calm down when she sees them." 

"It's not my fault that I've got the best big siblings," Daisy interjected. 

"You still haven't given me a hug," Casey pointed out. 

Daisy promptly let go of Adrien and wrapped her arms around Casey. Felix...had no idea what to make of her. He had to wonder if it was possible for her to sit still. Casey called them to the kitchen, which apparently also served as the dining room. Daisy parked herself in a seat between Adrien and Casey, chattering away at her start to the school year, then asking Adrien about his. After Adrien finished, he could see the amount of energy coming off of Daisy had significantly decreased and her voice was at a normal volume. They were quick to include him in conversation and Felix was starting to see what Casey had meant when she said that her family already loved Adrien. Daisy clearly adored him and Casey. He didn't really get to see it from Evelyn and Charles until after dinner, when they gathered in the living room and gave a birthday gift to him and Casey. 

Adrien opened his gift first. He held up a gold pocket watch and chain. Casey and Daisy gaped at the watch, then stared back at their parents. 

"It's not much," Evelyn said. "But, it's sort of a tradition to give everyone their own family heirloom to pass on. That was my great-grandfather's watch. He gave it to my dad, Leon Barbereau. I thought it would be fitting. Just a little reminder that you're a part of our family now, and we wouldn't have it any other way." 

Adrien's eyes widened when he realized the weight of being given something like that. He gently placed the watch back in its box and gave Evelyn and Charles a tight hug. 

"Thank you," he replied. "I promise I'll take good care of it." 

"We know you will," Charles stated, patting him on the back. 

Casey opened hers next. It was a orange soccer jersey, with the number six on it, with BARBEREAU in white lettering. The back of the jersey was covered in signatures. 

"I can't believe you cleaned up my old jersey," Casey said, running her hand over the back. "And you got the signatures from the whole team?" 

"And your old coach," Charles replied, pointing to a signature near the hem of the shirt. 

"You play a sport?" Amelie asked. 

"Yeah. Soccer," Casey answered. "Me and two of my friends, Aria and Danny, were on the school team." 

With that, Casey started reminiscing about soccer, with Charles and Evelyn occasionally chiming in. Adrien and Daisy excused themselves and went back to Adrien's room to hang out. Felix followed, not really one for sports. Adrien was in his bed, while Daisy dangled off of his desk chair. Felix leaned up against the desk and glanced at them. 

"Hey, Fe," Adrien said chipperly. "I was just about to talk to Daisy about setting Casey up." 

"As in, with a boy?" Felix asked. 

"Yup." 

"Who did you have in mind?" Daisy inquired. "Because I reserve full right to veto this idea." 

"Well, I may or may not have found out that she possibly likes a certain boy named Charlie Roberts," Adrien answered. 

Daisy's jaw dropped. "Are you serious? Casey likes Charlie?" 

"Who's Charlie Roberts?" Felix piped. 

"He's Casey's best friend," Daisy explained. "Oh, I've got great news for you, Big Brother." 

"Spill it," Adrien demanded, leaning over the bed railing. 

"Charlie likes Casey," Daisy stated. "I practically got him to admit just before he decided to go traveling for a little bit." 

"I got the 'just a friend' line from Casey," Adrien replied. "But the way she got all embarrassed totally points to her liking him." 

Daisy clapped her hands and spun around in the chair. "This is fantastic! We can totally set them up and then let the teasing begin!" 

"Why would you tease them?" Felix asked. 

"Because, dear Felix," Daisy replied. "One of the things that comes with having siblings is the endless amount of teasing you can do when suitable ammunition is found. Do you know how much we teased Adrien when he asked out Marinette?" 

"They would not leave me alone," Adrien said with a small smirk. "And now, I can get some payback." 

"You two are crazy," Felix piped. "There's no way whatever harebrained scheme you come up with will work." 

"You underestimate our ingenuity," Daisy said, sticking her nose up at Felix. "I have grown up with Casey and Adrien lives with her. The two of us know her better than anyone. We can and _will_ succeed." 

Felix listened as the two started brainstorming. There were simple schemes, elaborate schemes and some that were just downright impossible. It was mildly entertaining to watch. Eventually, Amelie called for Felix, as it was time to go. Everyone gave them warm goodbyes and Felix saw his mother exchange numbers with both Casey and Evelyn. Pretty soon, Felix and Amelie were on a train headed back to London. While they were heading home, Casey, Evelyn, Charles, Daisy and Adrien tried to figure out sleeping arrangements for the night. The discussion quickly dissolved into a pillow fight with siblings versus parents while the two kwamis floated above the madness.


	23. Punishment

Lila's silence at school came to an end. Adrien and Marinette had been expecting it. Lila hadn't given up, she was just biding her time and nursing her pride. She started spewing her rumors, not that anyone really believed her. Judging from her expression, Lila was still unaware of that fact. Today's lie? A claim that she was being nominated for a variety of humanitarian and service awards and that she would be attending award ceremonies all over the world with dignitaries and celebrities. Adrien and Marinette walked right past Lila's little crowd of followers and found a quiet spot to sit. Marinette pulled out her sketchbook and started drawing, while Adrien laid his head on her shoulder and watched. Lila's glare did not escape his notice. 

Lila had been glaring at them a lot more than usual. She was losing her subtlety. Their friends had made passing comments about her now open disdain for them. Ever since he and Marinette had openly admitted that they were a couple, Lila had lost any excuse to try and cling to Adrien, not that Ms. Bustier gave her much opportunity to be near him in class. Lila's reign over the school had come to an end, and she didn't even know it. 

He took his mind off of Lila and watched Marinette sketch out a dress for Rose. When her pencil stopped moving and she took a moment to think, Marinette would reach over and scratch Adrien's scalp like she would do when he was Chat. It was just something she did out of habit, but Adrien absolutely loved it. He had talked to Ms. Berger about how he didn't realize how much he loved getting physical affection from the people he loved until both Marinette and Casey started giving it to him regularly. She concluded that Adrien might have been touch-starved in his old home and explained what the five love languages were. Apparently, one of his love languages was physical touch. 

Marinette started moving her pencil over the paper with lightning speed. Adrien could barely track it as she added new details to her design. She went into a full-on creative mode and became tunnel visioned. She started to make that cute expression where her tongue poked out of her mouth and her eyes narrowed. She was definitely on a role with the design. Adrien would have been content to watch her work, but he glanced at his phone and saw the time. 

"Marinette, we've gotta get to class," he stated. 

"One second," Marinette replied. "I've got the perfect idea to finish this and I can't let it get away." 

"As much as I love watching you work, it'll have to wait," Adrien said, reaching over to take her pencil. "You don't want to be late." 

"I can afford to be late for one morning," Marinette reasoned, pulling her pencil out of his reach. "Ms. Medeleiev can grant me a little leeway for today."

She buried herself back in her sketch, leaving Adrien in a small predicament. He tried moving her sketchbook, cuddling and acting just a little like a cat-boy. None of those strategies worked. 

"Princess," he whined. "M'Lady." 

Marinette ignored his pet names. Adrien made a small pouty face. He tried the other pet names, such as 'Bugaboo' and 'Mari', then he just started seeing what nicknames he could make up to try and get her attention, such as 'Maribug', 'Buginette' and, as a last ditch effort, 'Sweet-Love-of-My-Life'. He saw her roll her eyes, which he would take as a success, since it finally got her to look away from her sketchbook. 

"Really?" she asked. "Isn't that a little dramatic?" 

"No," Adrien replied. "And it got you to look up, didn't it?" 

He snatched her pencil and it was her turn to pout. Adrien dangled it out of her reach, utilizing his slight height advantage. 

"Silly Kitty," Marinette said with a sigh. "Fine. I'll go to class. I'm just about done with it anyway." 

Adrien happily escorted Marinette to class, returned her pencil, then joined Nino and Alya in Ms. Bustier's class. The class paid close attention to Ms. Bustier's lesson. Everyone was invested in the class. Ms. Bustier was thrilled to see all of them invested in their latest literature assignment. Well, almost everyone. 

Lila was sitting in the back of the class, steaming. You would think she would be happy, considering that she had gotten her cast removed and could now use her right arm. However, Lila could not find it in herself to be happy, not while Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste were enjoying life and completely ignoring her. She saw them acting all lovey-dovey before school and had to resist the urge to storm over there and separate them herself. She detested Marinette more than any other person she'd ever met, though she was starting to despise Adrien, with their constant defiance of her. But, as long as she still had her loyal pawns, she could take over everything and break them. They'dbow to her will. Sooner or later. That's how it always went when Lila got to a new school. That was how it was meant to be. Right? 

Lila took her first chance to put her world back in order. Lunch was about to end and the locker room was empty, excluding her and Adrien, who was sorting his books at his locker. 

"Adrien," Lila said, standing in front of him. "You and I need to have a talk." 

"Do we?" Adrien asked with a slight eye roll. 

Since when did Adrien roll his eyes? 

"Considering the fact that you are working against me, yes, we do," Lila replied. "You've made a lot of mistakes, Adrien. Crossing me does not end well for people, but I'm willing to forgive and forget, let you keep your little social life." 

"And what do you think you could do to me, Lila? In case you haven't noticed, you've lost all your power." 

Lila let out a huff. "That's not true. I rule this school. I have everyone at my beck and call." 

"No, you have a handful of pawns," Adrien pointed out. "Other than that, everyone else in the entire school knows that you are a liar." 

"What are you talking about?" 

"No one here believes a word that comes out of your mouth. You've been losing your grip since the summer." 

"You're wrong," Lila stated sharply. "Everyone is wrapped around my finger." 

"You should've known that you took it too far with the cheating rumor," Adrien replied calmly. "That got Max and Nathaniel onto your game. Ms. Mendeleiev's class never believed you in the first place. All it took was a little bit of reason and a lot of patience." 

"Everyone in class still adores me," she snarled. "And when it comes to me against you and Marinette, the two of you will lose. But, I won't completely ruin you and your little girlfriend, so long as you do what I say, give me certain things." 

Lila leaned into Adrien's personal space, looking at him with a haughty smile. Adrien stepped away from her with a baleful glare that he was sure Casey would be proud of. 

"I don't like you, Lila," Adrien stated firmly. "I never have, and I never will, and I sure as hell will not do anything for you. You are a pathological liar and a bitch."

Casey had just gotten back from her lunch break and was working in the Garage, with Dee standing by the side, chatting with her. Josue was helping the newest mechanic, Victor. Casey already liked Victor a lot more than she had liked Aston. He had a better attitude, better skills and had no problem taking orders from a girl that was six years younger than him. He had been a little dubious of Casey's skills, but Josue had him shadow her for the morning and Casey quickly dispelled any of his doubts. 

"Casey, your phone's ringing," Dee said. "It's from your brother's school." 

"One sec," Casey replied, quickly wiping her hands. 

Casey took her phone from Dee. As soon as she picked up, Mr. Damocles started speaking. 

"Hello, Ms. Barbereau. I'm sorry to bother you, but we need you to come to the school." 

"I'm in the middle of work," Casey replied. "My next break is in a few hours. Can this wait?" 

"I'm afraid not. Adrien has been involved in a confrontation. We would like you to come as soon as possible." 

Alarm bells started ringing in Casey's head. "Josue, I need to go to Adrien's school." 

"Is everything alright?" Josue asked. 

"Not sure," Casey answered. "I'll be back as soon as I can." 

"Go. Victor, can you please work at Casey's station until she gets back?" 

Victor nodded. "No problem. Go handle your situation," he said, giving Casey a quick wave. 

Casey didn't bother to take the time to put on clean clothes. She grabbed her keys and made her way to the school. Marinette was standing by the door and her head perked up when she saw Casey walking towards her. 

"Is Adrien ok?" Casey asked. 

"I don't know," Marinette replied. "All I know is that Lila was involved." 

"Where's the principal's office?" 

Marinette led Casey through the school to Damocles's office. Casey gave Marinette a quick thanks and told her to head back to class. Mr. Damocles, Ms. Bustier, Lila and Adrien were waiting in the office. When she walked in her eyes focused immediately on Adrien. He was holding an ice pack to his cheek. 

"Thank you for joining us, Ms. Barbereau," Mr. Damocles stated. 

Casey ignored him and got down in front of Adrien. "Are you ok?" 

Adrien gave Casey a small nod. She gently moved the ice pack to look at his cheek and her temper flared instantly. There were thin scratches on his cheek that at least broke the skin. They weren't running with blood, thank goodness, but Casey was still _beyond pissed_. She let him take back the ice pack and took a deep breath. 

"Mr. Damocles, I would like to request that Adrien be checked out of school for the day," she said, working hard to control her tone. "He will be back in school later this week." 

"Casey-" Adrien replied quietly. 

"Let me handle this next bit, ok?" Casey whispered. "I want you to go get your stuff and wait in the car. I promise, you're not in trouble. Just let me handle this." 

Adrien hesitantly nodded. The room was silent as Casey got Adrien checked out and excused for the next two days of school. Once that was complete, Adrien left to go to the car. Casey waited ten seconds, not wanting Adrien to hear what came next. 

"What the hell happened?" Casey asked sharply. "Because I am _not_ happy." 

"I'm sorry," Lila piped, her voice quivering. "I didn't mean to cause a problem it's just-" 

"Not from you," Casey interrupted. "I want to hear it from the teachers." 

Lila snapped her mouth shut and leaned back in her seat. 

"Well, there was a confrontation between Ms. Rossi and your brother in the locker room," Mr. Damocles explained. "It is a little unclear what exactly the confrontation was about, however, Ms. Rossi claimed that your brother threatened her and refused to allow her to leave the room and, as a way to escape, slapped him." 

"Did she, now?" Casey asked, narrowing her eyes at Lila. "And what did Adrien say?" 

"He said that Lila approached him and invaded his personal space," Ms. Bustier answered. "And made threats towards him and Marinette, then, when he replied, with some...unkind words, she slapped him." 

"Well, those two stories are pretty different," Casey stated. "And I already know which one is full of shit." 

"Ms. Barbereau-" 

"Don't," Casey snapped. "My brother has been slapped hard enough to draw _blood_. I have a serious problem with that, but I also have a serious problem with the involvement of this particular student." 

"Mr. Damocles, I must agree with Casey," Ms. Bustier replied. "The interactions that I have seen between Lila and Adrien do not match up with her story." 

"Ms. Bustier," Lila cried. "Please. Adrien scares me. You can't believe him." 

"What does the involvement of Ms. Rossi have to do with this situation?" Mr. Damocles inquired. 

"Let's start with the fact that since the day I met her, I've never heard an honest word out of her mouth," Casey answered. "Or, the fact that I've had _multiple_ conversations with Adrien, both before and after I became his guardian, regarding the fact that she consistently violates his boundaries, and the obvious steps she's attempted taking to ostracize him and his girlfriend from the rest of their peers." 

"I would never," Lila piped. "I've never done anything to Adrien, and I've been nothing but honest." 

"Ms. Bustier, what have you observed?" Mr. Damocles asked. 

"I have noticed recently, that Lila attempts to be physically close to Adrien, often pushing into his personal space," Ms. Bustier answered. "And often makes negative remarks about other students." 

"Ms. Bustier, how could you lie about me like this?" Lila asked, bursting into fake sobs. 

Casey worked very hard to keep herself from yelling at Lila. _Escalating the situation would not help Adrien. Escalating the situation would not help Adrien_. At the same time, she kept seeing those scratch marks on his face, and looking at the girl responsible for them made her want to scream. She reminded herself that she was twenty years old. She could not afford to have a temper tantrum, not when she had to make sure her brother would be ok at school when he returned. 

"Am I safe in assuming there as at least one security camera in the locker room?" Casey asked, her voice tight. 

"Yes," Mr. Damocles answered. "There are multiple in the event that there is a theft from a student's locker." 

"Then, may I suggest we pull up the footage from when the confrontation occurred?" 

Ms. Bustier encouraged the suggestion. Casey noticed Lila pale at the mention of security cameras. It was so easy to forget that those little things were around, especially when they were as unobtrusive as the ones they had in schools. Casey and Ms. Bustier went to the other side of Mr. Damocles's desk and watched as he scrolled through the footage. When they found the time of the incident, he let it play. It was quite clear. _Lila_ approached Adrien and initiated the conversation. There might not have been any audio, but the movement and body language made it clear that Lila's story was utter bullshit. Casey's fury reached its peak when she watched the footage of Lila slapping Adrien. 

"Well, someone told one too many lies," Casey remarked, glaring at Lila. 

Lila crossed her arms and glanced at the wall. "What are you going to do about it? You're just a mechanic." 

"Wrong," Casey growled. "I am Adrien's big sister. And I am _beyond_ pissed." 

"We will contact Ms. Rossi's parent right away," Mr. Damocles interjected. 

"I'm afraid, Lila's mother is unresponsive through the contacts we have been provided," Ms. Bustier stated. "I've tried multiple times, but have never gotten a reply." 

"My mother is very busy," Lila said quickly. "She'll be in the middle of work." 

"Yeah, so was I. You're already neck deep in trouble. So, I suggest you tell us how to contact her before you get in even more," Casey replied sternly. 

Lila mumbled to herself as she pulled out her cellphone and handed it to Mr. Damocles. It took Mrs. Rossi a grand total of five minutes to get to the school. She noticed Casey's scowl and that it was directed towards Lila. 

"Oh no," she said. "What's happened?" 

"Your daughter threatened and assaulted a fellow student," Mr. Damocles replied. "And we were unable to contact you with the contact information provided to us." 

Mrs. Rossi quickly looked over the contact information on record. "This isn't my contact information." 

"And so the lies reveal themselves," Casey mused. 

"Lila, don't tell me you've done it again," Mrs. Rossi sighed. "This is the third school where we've had this problem." 

"That was not detailed in her records," Ms. Bustier replied. 

"We will certainly sort it all out," Mr. Damocles interjected. "First, we must deal with the current situation." 

"Lila will take whatever punishment you give her," Mrs. Rossi stated. 

"Mom!" Lila exclaimed with a glare. "That is so not fair!" 

"Don't test me, Lila," she replied sharply. "Do you have any idea how serious this is? You've lied about your records, my contact information and you've assaulted a classmate." 

"Trust me, there's a lot more than that," Casey stated. "I have half a mind to get a restraining order after all she's done to my brother, and you can bet that after this, I'm having a serious talk with the people in charge at Gabriel. She _will not_ be modeling ever again." 

"You can't do that!" Lila protested. 

"Can and will," Casey snapped. "Believe me, I could take this a hell of a lot farther and given how much you've pissed me off, I just might. So unless you want police to get involved, you will let the grown-ups talk and decide your punishment." 

Lila stayed in her seat and kept her mouth shut. Mrs. Rossi listened intently as Mr. Damocles detailed the appropriate actions they would take. Lila would be suspended for two weeks and when she returned, would be moved to a different class. Mrs. Rossi gave Mr. Damocles the proper contact information and assured them that she would personally see to it that Lila's proper records got sent to the school. She made Lila head to the car as she began discussing the more serious matters with Casey. Casey did her best to calmly explain that Lila had been violating Adrien's personal space on numerous occasions and harassing him, both in a professional and school setting. 

"Ms. Agreste-" 

"Barbereau," Casey corrected. 

"Ms. Barbereau," Mrs. Rossi replied. "I completely understand and believe you are justified in whatever legal action you decide to pursue, but as a mother, I am begging you, to show a little mercy." 

"I'm considering it, but only to spare my brother from whatever media shit storm that would start because of it," Casey stated. "I will say this plainly. I never want your daughter around Adrien ever again and I will be filing for a restraining order. No discussion about it." 

"That is fair. I will take whatever measures I can to ensure Lila never does anything like this ever again." 

"Just make sure she knows to stay away from my family." 

Casey made her way out of the school. Adrien was sitting patiently in the car. Plagg was in his lap, holding onto his finger to give him a little comfort. When they got in the car, Tali joined Plagg in Adrien's lap and gave his hand a reassuring pat. Before driving off, Casey made a quick call. 

"Aunt Felice? I need to ask a favor," Casey said. "I need to bring Adrien home from school. Could you come over to be with him til I get off work?...Thanks. You're the best." 

Adrien noticed that Casey was still tense as she pulled out into traffic. She was taking a lot of deep breaths, but her scowl didn't lessen. He started to shrink in his seat. 

"Are you mad at me?" he asked. 

"N-no," Casey answered quickly, her scowl being replaced with concern. "Adrien, what happened today was not your fault. If anything, I'm proud of you. You stood up, you told Lila no. I will _never_ be angry with you for enforcing your boundaries, _especially_ with someone like Lila." 

"But you made me wait in the car and you called Aunt Felice," Adrien replied. "You pulled me out of school." 

"I pulled you out because I don't want you to have to walk around with those marks on your face," Casey explained. "I didn't want people to notice and start spreading rumors. You will stay in school. You'll be going right back in a day or two. I promise. I sent you out of the room because I wasn't sure that I could control my temper and I didn't want you to see that, and I called Aunt Felice because I don't want you to be alone while I'm at work." 

"You're sure you're not mad at me?" 

"I promise, I'm not mad at you," Casey said earnestly. "The only person I am mad at is Lila and she is getting her punishment. How are you feeling?" 

Adrien took a moment to think. "Well, my face kind of stings and I'm feeling a little tired." 

"We'll take care of those scratches when we get home, and you can take a nap. I'll text Nino and ask him to bring home whatever work you miss. Sound good?" 

Adrien nodded. Casey gave him a small smile. He had to remind himself that whatever frustrations she had were not directed at him, that she was proud of him for standing up for himself. Felice was already waiting when they got home. She was quick to grab the first aid kit and take a look at the scratches on his cheek. Casey stayed for a few minutes, not wanting to leave until he was settled. He, Aunt Felice, Plagg and Tali had to assure her that he would be taken care of and that she could get back to work. Felice got a blanket and a pillow and let Adrien settle on the couch for a nap. 

"You've had a rough day," she said with a sigh. "I think you deserve to nap on the couch in peace." 

Adrien let out a small yawn. "Sorry that Casey had to ask you to come all the way over, Aunt Felice. I don't want to be a bother." 

"You're my nephew," Felice replied, running a hand through his hair. "You are anything but a bother. Now get some sleep. I'll be right here when you wake up." 

"Love you, Aunt Felice." 

"I love you too." 

Adrien fell asleep pretty quickly. He drifted in and out of sleep every so often, once when he heard Nino enter the apartment, then again when he heard Casey and Josue sneak in. The sun was going down when he fully woke up. Casey was with Felice and Josue in the kitchen and Adrien heard her whispering. 

"No, we are not having that for dinner," Casey said. "I love you, Uncle Josue, but you are one of the worst cooks I've ever met." 

"What are you talking about? I'm a fantastic cook," Josue replied. 

"How about, instead of cooking, we just get some fast food?" Felice suggested. "Nothing says comfort food like grease and soda." 

"I want to disagree with you," Casey stated. "But at the same time, that's a fairly accurate statement." 

"So it's settled. You two stay here with Adrien while I go get some burgers." 

"What about burgers?" Adrien asked, sitting up. 

Casey poked her head into the living room. "Just figuring out dinner. Aunt Felice is gonna go get some. Sound good to you?" 

Adrien's stomach rumbled. "Yeah, that sounds pretty good to me. I don't want to wait for you to cook something." 

"Fair enough," Casey replied. She glanced at the tv then back at Adrien. "Wanna play some video games while we wait?" 

"Yes, please."


	24. Day Off

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Admittedly, this chapter is a lot shorter than others and I'm a little unsure if I really want to pursue the idea expressed in this chapter, I was just at a loss of what to write and went with the first idea that popped into my head. So, any input would be appreciated.

The confrontation between Lila and Adrien did not stay quiet at school. Everyone was whispering about it. Marinette, Alya, Nino and Chloe did their best to stop the false rumors that were being whispered by some of Lila's followers. As the true story about their confrontation spread through the school, Lila's defenders dwindled. Some listened to the logic of their peers, others had a talk with their friends, who pointed out Lila's behavior. It took time, but Lila's hold on the school was now gone. Sabrina finally came around and apologized to Chloe in tears, absolutely horrified about the things she had said to the blonde. That wasn't the only thing that got fixed. 

With Lila's behavior now common knowledge, Mr. Damocles swapped her into Ms. Mendeleiev's class, knowing that she would not put up with any of Lila's schemes. Naturally, someone had to be switched to Ms. Bustier's class. The class went to Mr. Damocles and begged for him to let Marinette rejoin the class. He was more than happy to transfer Marinette back into Ms. Bustier's class. Marinette would be getting her updated schedule tomorrow. She wasn't sure about leaving the rest of her friends to the mercy of Lila. 

"She's not gonna be a problem," Aurore stated with a wave of her hand. "We all know how she operates." 

"And everyone will be ignoring every word she says," Mirielle added. "What trouble can she cause when no one's paying attention to her?" 

"But what if she manages to convince someone and then she gets them to bully you, or hurt you, or get you expelled?!" Marinette inquired. 

"Take a breath, Mari," Marc replied. "No one will get expelled. We all know what to looks out for. We'll have each others' backs." 

"You're worrying over nothing," Mirielle said with a smile. 

"Besides, you should be happy. You'll be sharing class with your boyfriend. That means more time to be together," Aurore pointed out. "And you can get close to everyone else again." 

"No more worrying about Lila," Marc ordered. "You don't need to protect everybody everyday, Marinette. 

"Besides, what's she going to do? Stay mad at every student in this school for the rest of her life?" Mirielle asked. "You'd have to be remarkably petty to stay that angry." 

That did not completely put Marinette at ease. Given some of the things Lila had tried to do to her as Ladybug, Marinette knew that Lila could be that petty. Still, she let herself stop worrying about it for the moment, and focused on enjoying her day. After all, Aurore did make a valid point. It would be nice to go back to her old class. The fact that it meant sharing classes with Adrien was a nice added bonus too. 

While they were at school, Adrien was enjoying his day off. He would never pass up an opportunity to hang out in the Garage, and Victor was pretty nice. He was pretty fit and a few inches taller than Casey. He had really light hair that was pulled back in a tiny ponytail. Casey had been right about Adrien's cheek. There were a few band-aids on the scratches and there was a decent sized bruise where Lila's palm had hit. 

"They're my battle scars," Adrien said, puffing out his chest. "Proof that I defeated an evil force." 

Casey let out a snort. "Alright, Macho Man. Bask in your glorious victory." 

"Are you two like this all the time?" Victor asked. 

"Pretty much," Adrien answered. 

"You should see us when Daisy's here," Casey remarked. "It can get pretty wild." 

"You're very different from how my brothers and I act," Victor stated. "The four of us were always at each others' throats. Hardly a quiet day in the house. Drove my parents up a wall." 

"How close are you in age?" Casey inquired. 

"We're all a year or two apart," Victor replied. "My youngest brother is about your age." 

"Well, we're probably not the best comparison," Casey stated. 

"Fair enough," Victor said with a small hum. "So, Adrien, are you looking to be a mechanic too?" 

Adrien shook his head. "I like watching Casey work, but I'm not really passionate about it. I really don't know what I want to do." 

"You'll figure it out," Casey assured him, ruffling his hair. "Don't be in a rush." 

"I'm not." 

"What are some of your interests?" Victor asked. 

"Physics!" Adrien answered quickly with a large grin. "Oh, and fencing and basketball!" 

As soon as Adrien listed them, he started going into detail about what he liked about each individual activity. While he knew Casey and Victor were working, he also knew they were listening. He wasn't sure how long he talked. Could have been fifteen minutes, could have been thirty. All he knew was that when he finished, he saw Casey smiling. It was the smile she had whenever she was silently bragging. 

"Sounds like you have a lot of fun," Victor stated. "You've got quite a little brother, Casey." 

"I know," Casey replied. 

"What's that smile for?" Adrien asked. 

"It's nothing," she answered. 

"It's something." 

"Don't worry about it." 

"Tell meee," Adrien whined, latching onto Casey. 

"You're getting grease all over your clothes," Casey pointed out. 

"I don't care. What's that smile for?" Adrien replied. 

"Can't I just be happy that my little brother is at work with me and having fun?" 

"No, because that smile is when you're really proud," Adrien stated. "What are you proud of?" 

"I'm proud of you, you big goof," Casey replied. "It's called sisterly pride. Now let me indulge in it in peace. Yeesh. You get proud of being someone's big sister and then they squeeze the life outta you." 

"I love you too." 

"Can I finish this check-up now?" Casey asked. 

"Yes," Adrien answered, releasing his hold on her. "But then I'm going to hug you again and you'll never escape me." 

"Until I convince Marinette to come over and then you can latch onto her," she stated. 

"Then I'll call Charlie and he can hug you." 

"Who's Charlie?" Victor piped. 

"He's my best friend," Casey replied. 

"He's more than just a friend," Adrien said with a smirk. 

"Is he now?" 

Casey's face turned bright red. "He's just my best friend!" 

"No he's not," Josue interjected. 

"Charlie and I are just friends!" Casey insisted. "Nothing more, nothing less!" 

"Then why is your face as red as a cherry?" Adrien asked in a sing-song voice. 

"It's not. It's just covered in grease." 

"Sure it is," Adrien replied. 

Casey lunged at Adrien and started smearing grease across his face, avoiding the bruised and bandaged area. Victor and Josue watched as Adrien laughed and taunted Casey. She eventually resorted to tickling him. Adrien turned into a mass of giggles on the floor, begging for mercy. 

"Not until you take it back," Casey stated. 

"Never!" Adrien replied through his laughter. 

"Take it back, Adrien," Casey repeated. 

"No!" 

"Take it back or I'll tickle you indefinitely." 

"Uncle Josue, help me!" 

Josue shook his head. "Sorry, Adrien. You got yourself into that mess. You have to get yourself out." 

"But it's true!" 

"Is not!" Casey exclaimed quickly. 

"Ok, ok! I take it back! Just stop tickling me!" 

Casey ceased in her tickle attack and returned to work. "That wasn't so hard, was it?" 

"No," Adrien replied. "ExceptthatyoudolikeCharlie! Dee, protect me from Casey!" 

Adrien dashed across the Garage, careful to avoid slipping or getting in Victor and Josue's way and took cover behind Dee, who had come in from the shop. 

"Why am I protecting you from Casey?" Dee asked, noticing Casey's red face and deer-in-headlights expression. 

"Because she's too stubborn to admit she actually likes someone and I don't want to die by tickling for teasing her," Adrien answered. 

"Oh," Dee replied. "You mean Charlie." 

"Why does everyone think I like Charlie?!" Casey exclaimed. 

"Because you do," Dee stated matter-of-factly. "And you make it painfully obvious. I've only met the guy once, and I know you're head over heels for him." 

"Am not!" Casey stuttered. 

"We all love you to pieces, Casey," Josue interjected. "But you practically wear your heart on your sleeve. Try as you might, it's no big secret. Now, please get back to work. You can resume torturing your brother later." 

"Hey!" Adrien protested. 

"Oh, don't worry about her," Dee replied. "You can hang out with me in the shop while she gets over her denial." 

"I am not in denial," Casey muttered. 

"What was that?" Dee asked. 

"Go run the shop, Dee," Josue replied. 

Adrien stayed in the shop with Dee, occasionally popping his head back into the Garage. Casey would notice, shake her head and smile. When she wasn't embarrassed by his teasing, she found the humor in it. When the time came for everyone to take their lunch break, they took a seat in the biggest, sunny spot in the Garage and Josue ordered a pizza. They were sitting in companionable silence, until Victor broke it. 

"You know what you two need?" Victor asked, pointing at Casey and Adrien. "You need a pet." 

Casey nearly choked on her soda. "And what made you suggest that?" 

"I'm just saying," he replied. "You're both full of energy and maybe a pet would be a good idea. An emotional companion that you can play with to your heart's content." 

"You realize I work all day and Adrien is at school, right? We get a pet, and it's just left alone in our apartment all day," Casey stated. "Besides, that's why he does fencing and basketball." 

Victor shrugged. "Josue, would you let her bring a pet down here while we work? It could be a mascot." 

"Don't hold your breath," Josue replied. "It would have to be a really well trained animal." 

"So you would let me and Casey have a pet in the apartment?" Adrien asked. 

Casey shot a playful glare at Victor. "Look what you've done. You've gotten his hopes up. Now I have to crush whatever dreams he's coming up with in his sweet little head." 

"It was just a suggestion," Victor replied. 

"I will admit, I would have no problem with there being an animal in the apartment," Josue said. "However, your sister makes a fair point. Neither of you are around during the day to take care of one." 

"Cats don't need a lot of work," Adrien stated. 

"If we were to get a pet, it would not be a cat," Casey interjected. 

"Aw. But cats are adorable," Dee piped. 

"No. No cats," Casey replied. "And Adrien already knows why." 

Adrien glanced down at his pocket where Plagg was sleeping. Yeah...they basically already had a cat. He just happened to have the ability to destroy anything if he wanted to and could talk. He also had an expensive habit of eating cheese. That left the option of a dog. Adrien doubted Plagg would like there being a dog around. On the other hand, it could be exciting to have a dog. 

"No," Casey said firmly. "I know that look. Don't even think about asking. The answer is already no." 

"But maybe-" 

"No. We will not get a dog. I don't care how much you beg, it is a firm no. We are not home enough to take care of a dog." 

"You could play with it while you're on break," Adrien reasoned. "You'd just have to go upstairs and maybe walk it." 

"I will not be talked into this. I will not. I will not. I will not," Casey chanted to herself. 

"Casey, he's giving you little puppy eyes," Dee cooed. "How can you say no to that face?" 

"First, they're his kitten eyes," Casey replied. "And second, I don't care how hard he begs, we will not get a dog. End of story. It is not compatible. Not in the slightest." 

"I'm sure there are plenty of people who live with dogs in an apartment," Victor stated. 

"You are not helping," Casey snapped. "You're the one who put the idea in his head in the first place." 

"Please, Casey?" Adrien begged. 

Casey quickly covered her face with her hands. "No. We can't get a dog. It's just not feasible. Nope, nada, never." 

"Someone's not a dog person," Dee commented. 

"I love dogs," Casey replied. "But I'm smart enough to know that getting a dog right now is a bad idea. Uncle Josue, back me up." 

"Sorry, Adrien, but you'll need to have some pretty good reasons to convince Casey to get a dog," Josue replied. "I don't think you can get her to change her mind with just your kitten eyes this time." 

With that, the discussion was ended. Adrien's mind was running wild with the idea of having a dog. Admittedly, he liked cats a lot. He was Chat Noir, of course he liked cats. At the same time, he also thought dogs were adorable, and he wasn't allowed to have either at the mansion. When they finished lunch, the mechanics returned to work and Adrien went upstairs to take care of his homework. Nino would be coming over later with more work, and Adrien would not let it pile up. As he finished up his math work, he was struck with an idea. He pulled out a blank piece of notebook paper and started going through google.


	25. Convincing

The day ended quietly for the two siblings. Casey knew Adrien was up to something, but she didn't know what. He was dodging her questions and telling her that he wasn't ready. Casey had a feeling she knew what it was about and she blamed Victor. He just had to put the idea in Adrien's head. Since he wouldn't reveal any details, she simply reminded him to finish his homework before getting totally absorbed in his endeavors. 

Naturally, Adrien was stuck on Victor's idea and was determined to convince Casey. First, he had to make a case. People lived with dogs in apartments all the time. They just had to find the right dog. He was compiling as much research as he could and attempting to come up with a schedule for a dog that worked with Casey and Adrien's time at home. Maybe he could ask Marinette for some help on that last bit. He also had a long list of viable breeds that they could adopt. He put his favorites at the top, but he'd be happy with any of them...except maybe a chihuahua. That was on the _very_ bottom of the list. 

When Adrien returned to school, he was thrilled to learn that Marinette was in Ms. Bustier's class again. Marinette and Nino switched seats, leaving the two happy couples sitting together. Thankfully, the scratches had fully healed and the bruise on his cheek was covered up with a little bit of makeup, so there weren't any obvious signs of his little spat with Lila and it could not stir up the rage of his friends. 

As they waited for class to being, Adrien pulled out his research and started looking through the pages. 

"Dude, what is that?" Nino asked. "Because I'm pretty sure that wasn't any of your homework." 

"Are those dog breeds?" Alya inquired. 

Adrien nodded. "Casey's coworker, Victor, kind of suggested that we should get a pet, and Casey vetoed getting a cat, so I'm trying to convince her to get a dog." 

"What, your kitten eyes didn't work?" Marinette teased. 

"No," Adrien admitted. "But, kitten eyes, plus all this research on having a dog in the apartment should be enough to convince her." 

"You must really want a dog," Nino stated. 

"Yes, and I want to give her every possible reason to say yes. But there's one last thing I need." 

"Which is?" Marinette asked. 

"Well, could you help me come up with a dog schedule? If I can show Casey that we have plenty of time to take care of a dog, I know she'll cave." 

"Let me see this," Marinette replied, taking his stack of paper. 

Marinette looked through Adrien's research with a critical eye. Occasionally she shared it with Alya and they deliberated. Marinette took out a red pen and started putting small X's by certain dog breeds. Adrien patiently waited for her to finish. 

"The breeds with the X's are no-go's," Marinette stated, handing back the papers. "They have too high of energy levels to really be a feasible pet for you two. With the ones left, I think we could definitely help you come up with a doggy care plan." 

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you," Adrien replied, hugging Marinette. "You're the best girlfriend in the whole world." 

"Know that if you convince her, I expect to be one of the first people to meet the new dog." 

"Absolutely!" 

Adrien quickly put away his dog packet as Ms. Bustier came in to start the lesson. She welcomed Marinette back to the class, and, with a quick vote, Marinette was reinstated as the class representative. Having Marinette back in Ms. Bustier's class was great. Alya had done her best to follow Marinette's example as class rep and was a good representative in her own right, but no one could do what Marinette did with the same amount of success. 

Ms. Bustier noticed what the change did for the class. While earlier in the year, they had been reserved and not as outgoing, along with the obvious fact that some were anxious to be in her classroom, with Marinette back in the class, they were overflowing with energy. Where some students had started drifting away from their peers, they were now getting involved again. There was less grumbling and whispering. She had never been happier to see her class so full of positivity. 

When lunch rolled around, the entire class went to the park to have a picnic. It was a bit of a spur of the moment decision when Rose had made the suggestion. Almost everyone had brought their own lunches, and Marinette took those that didn't over to the bakery to grab some of the leftover goodies from yesterday. The park was buzzing with activity as the class enjoyed lunch and used some of their energy playing games. Kim insisted he could beat everyone in a game of freeze tag. He tagged most of the class, only for them to be quickly unfrozen by Alix, Adrien or Marinette. Everyone had a blast. When they were just sitting around and relaxing, Marinette helped Adrien figure out a schedule for if he got a dog. Adrien insisted that it would be _when_ he got a dog, only for her to remind him that Casey still had the power to say no. He remained confident that he could change Casey's mind. 

"I still think getting a dog is stupid," Plagg whispered from Adrien's pocket. "They're nothing but trouble. They slobber over everything." 

"You're just too stubborn to get along with them," Tikki piped. "I'll bet if you didn't say you hated them so much, you'd like them." 

"I am a cat," Plagg replied. "Cats and dogs do not get along. End of story. And I hope Casey continues to veto this plan." 

"Once we're done, she won't," Adrien stated. "And then you'll learn to love whatever dog we get." 

"Keep dreaming." 

Marinette let out a giggle. "The resident cat is not happy with you." 

"He's always a grouch, so not much difference there," Adrien replied with a shrug. 

"Aw, don't be so mean," Marinette said sweetly. "He's adorable." 

"Whatever you say, M'Lady. But you don't have to live with him." 

"I am the God of Destruction!" Plagg protested. "I am not adorable! I am-!" 

Adrien reached into his pocket and started scratching Plagg behind the ears. Plagg quickly turned into a purring fur ball. Marinette managed to hide her giggles. They finished up their side project and went back to the school when their classmates started making their way back for class. Thankfully, Adrien hadn't missed much in his absence and hadn't fallen behind. He kept up with the lessons and breezed through his work. 

At the end of the day, he went down to basketball practice. Before starting their drills, Coach Martin sat them down on the bleachers. 

"You boys have been doing good," he stated. "Next Saturday is our first game of the season. I want each of you to practice hard, take care of yourselves and keep up with your school work. I don't want to have to bench anyone for their first game because they didn't take care of their responsibilities. It'll be a home game, so we have home court advantage. Now, let's get started." 

The news of their first game being so close made Adrien giddy with excitement. It would be Casey and Marinette's first time watching him play. They'd be there, cheering him and the rest of the team on. He wondered if Josue and Felice would be able to come to the game...

Adrien pushed himself, wanting to prove that he was ready for the game. That seemed to be what everyone else on the team was doing. They were working like a well-oiled machine. Coach Martin yelled tips, encouragement and constructive criticism as they did their drills and played scrimmage matches. Whenever they had a water break, he'd pull one boy aside and give them advice or point out weaknesses they could work on. It was an intense practice, but when it finished, Adrien was pumped up. 

"Your sister on her way?" Coach Martin asked as the other boys filtered out of the gym. 

"Yeah. She'll be here any minute," Adrien replied. 

"Good. Are you excited for the first game?" 

Adrien nodded. "It'll be so awesome! I can't wait for my family to see me play!" 

"Have they been to your games before?" 

"No. This one will be the first," Adrien answered. "I know Casey's going to come. I'm hoping our aunt and uncle can come too." 

"Well, tell them as soon as possible, then they can free up the time," Coach Martin advised. He noticed Casey's car pull up to the school. "Looks like she's here. Go home and get some rest. I'll see you at the next practice." 

"Thanks, Coach Martin." 

Adrien tossed his bag into the back and quickly buckled himself in. Once he was settled, Casey pulled out. 

"So, how was practice?" Casey asked. "You're a bit sweatier than usual." 

"It was good. We have our first game next Saturday." 

"When?" 

"It starts at seven, in the evening. Do you think Aunt Felice and Uncle Josue will be able to come?" 

"Not a school day, so Felice isn't working, and it's after hours," Casey answered. "I'm sure they'd be happy to come if you asked them." 

"Then I'll text them later," Adrien decided. "There's something else I want to talk to you about." 

"Does it have to do with your secret project?" Casey inquired. 

"It does," Adrien replied. "I've come up with a convincing argument for why we could and should get a dog." 

"Have you now?" 

"I've got a whole packet of research," Adrien stated. "When you've seen it you won't be able to say no." 

"How big is this packet?" 

"Pretty big," Adrien admitted. "Can you at least look it over?" 

"I will look it over," Casey answered. "When we get home and when you've had a good shower. Because you smell worse than Plagg's cheese." 

"My cheese is wonderful," Plagg piped. 

"It smells like a college student's locker," Tali replied dryly. 

"You just can't appreciate it's deliciousness," Plagg stated. "The smell adds to the experience." 

"And we're home," Casey interjected. "I'm starving. Who wants some food delivered? Let's get upstairs and I can order some sandwiches." 

"Real smooth, Case," Adrien deadpanned. 

"Go take a shower." 

Adrien left his packet on the coffee table for Casey to look at after she ordered food. Plagg and TAli perched on her shoulders as she flipped through the pages. She would admit, Adrien was committed to the idea. He made it incredibly appealing. At the same time, there was a little voice in her head telling her that a dog would not be a good idea. It sounded a lot like...

"Plagg," Casey said sternly, turning her gaze to the kwami who was whispering in her ear. 

"What? I'm just stating the obvious," he replied. "You agree with me. This shouldn't be a problem." 

"Let her make her own decision, Plagg," Tali piped. "Besides, I'm with Adrien. A dog sounds like a wonderful idea. As much as you two love each other, it can still get a little lonely around here." 

"We have friends over," Casey pointed out. 

"Not all the time," Tali replied. "And some of these dogs look like they'd fit well with the two of you." 

"Don't listen to her," Plagg hissed. "Stay strong, Casey. Deny the dog." 

"Both of you zip it and let me keep reading," Casey said firmly. "You're not supposed to be the devil and angel on my shoulder." 

"I beg to differ." 

" _Plagg_ ," Casey replied, giving the kwami a warning look. 

"Ok, fine. I'll be quiet." 

Adrien came into the living room to find Plagg frantically flying around Casey's head, practically begging. Adrien's eyes widened. 

"Wait, did you decide?" he asked. 

Casey turned towards him. "Not officially," she said. "I'll admit, you were very persuasive, but I still reserve the right to veto this idea." 

"Yes!" Adrien cheered. "Thank you! You're the best big sister in the universe!" 

"Hold off on the happy dance. I'm thinking about it," Casey stated. "That is not a definite yes." 

"But it's not a definite no either," Tali piped. "By the way, I'm totally on the side of getting a dog." 

"An opinion you have made glaringly obvious," Casey replied with an amused smirk. "I will think over this for a little bit. I do not want _anyone_ that lives in this house pestering me for a final decision or so help me I will get us a spider and that will be the only pet we ever get." 

"Please not a spider," Plagg whimpered. 

"Please no," Tali added, frantically shaking her head.

"No pestering, I promise," Adrien replied. 

"It's not you the ultimatum was directed at," Casey stated, glancing over at Plagg and Tali. 

Adrien, Tali and Plagg took Casey's ultimatum seriously, and did not bring up the subject. Adrien just didn't want to ruin his chances. The two kwamis actually seemed a little nervous at the prospect of Casey willingly bringing a spider home. Casey spent the next few days turning the decision over in her head. She would admit, she had wanted a dog when she was younger, but never could given how much she and her mom had moved, and the topic never came up when they finally settled in Portsmouth. She made sure not to talk to Victor about the decision, because she knew _exactly_ what his thoughts would be. Instead, she asked Dee and Arthur, who had taken to visiting the Garage when he didn't have to go to class now that Aston was gone. 

"Personally, I think the two of you would do well with a dog," Dee stated. "Just something to add to the family dynamic." 

"Yeah, dogs can really add a lot to a family," Arthur added. "We had one when I was younger. She was the best dog ever. Loyal, protective, friendly, everything you could ever want in a dog." 

"And rescuing a dog is great." 

"Rescuing is basically our only option," Casey replied. "There's no way I can pay a breeder and I'm not raising a puppy either. But, what happens if we rescue a dog and we can't handle it? I can't do that to a dog." 

"You're overthinking this and getting overwhelmed," Arthur said plainly. "Do you want a dog?" 

Casey hesitantly nodded. Dee couldn't help but smile. 

"Then go get a dog," she stated. "Talk with Adrien, figure out what you want, then go to the shelter or find a rescue organization online and adopt a dog." 

"You two make it sound like it's easy," Casey replied. 

"Because it is," Arthur deadpanned. 

"If anyone can handle a dog, it's you and your brother," Dee assured her. 

Casey still mulled the decision over. It was at the back of her mind for the rest of the day. She tried reading over Adrien's dog packet again to clear up some things. He really had thought of everything. The more she read, the more she thought about how much he must be wanting a dog to put that much effort into it, even if it had just been a throw away suggestion. Casey let out a sigh. Yeah, she knew what her answer was. 

The door opened and Adrien came home from school. He saw Casey sitting on the couch with his research. Casey saw him and beckoned him to sit next to her. Tali and Plagg sat on Adrien's leg and waited for Casey to start talking. 

"I've made a decision," Casey stated. "We can get a dog." 

"Really? You mean it?" Adrien asked, trying to contain his excitement. 

"But there are certain things that need to be addressed," Casey replied. "One, it _has_ to get along with Plagg and Tali. No chasing them, no growling at them, none of it. Two, you are responsible for walking it when you get home from school on Mondays and Wednesdays. I will take it out when I'm on break and we can walk it in the mornings when you go to school." 

"I can do that," Adrien agreed. 

Plagg huffed and crossed his arms. "Why?" 

"Because it's not a bad idea for our family to grow," Casey answered. "And, you and I can't be grouches about it. Besides, if you give it a chance, you might like it." 

"She's got a point," Tali piped. "You might actually like a dog." 

"Either way, there are still some decisions that need to be made," Casey interjected. "So, lets make them." 

Adrien scooted closer to Casey as she started listing some things they needed to decide. They needed to pick a name, get a food and water dish, toys and a bed. They needed to pick out the breeds they could get, where they would go to adopt and who would be responsible for the dog at what time. Plagg pouted on Adrien's leg as they talked about it. Occasionally he added a little bit of input, albeit in a sarcastic manner. Casey hoped that whatever dog they got liked being in their family. With any luck, they would fit right in.


	26. Baskets and Barbets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know absolutely nothing about basketball so please forgive me if any of this is wrong. I did my best using explanations from wikipedia and from what I've seen as a spectator. And, I hope you enjoy the introduction of the last member of the Barbereau/Agreste Household.

Adrien and Casey held off on getting the dog for a little bit, just so they could take the time to get ready for bringing one into the apartment. Adrien could barely contain his excitement. His enthusiasm was rubbing off on Casey. With every day that passed she was getting more excited. Granted, she contained it a lot better than Adrien. Tali was practically bouncing off the walls with anticipation. Plagg maintained his stance that getting a dog was a stupid idea, but Casey spotted him sitting in the corner where they had placed the dog bed and toys, examining the quality. 

"Well, if you insist on bringing a dog home, I'm going to make sure everything is up to our standards," Plagg stated when she questioned him about it. "Just because I won't like it, doesn't mean it shouldn't at least be semi-comfortable." 

"Whatever you say, Plagg," Casey replied, not bothering to hide her smirk. "Your secret's safe with me." 

Plagg promptly left the living room and went to his corner in Adrien's room to pout. Casey had a feeling once the dog was actually in the apartment, Plagg would start to let histrue colors show. 

In the midst of getting ready for their furry addition, Adrien was busting his ass off for the upcoming basketball game. Casey, Felice and Josue had told him that they were coming and Marinette told him that she was most definitely coming and might bring her parents with. So, Adrien was going to have quite the cheering section for his first game. He mentioned it to his teammates and learned that it wasn't all that unusual. Everyone had at least one family member and one friend that came to the games and the cheering could get pretty wild. Coach Martin quickly pulled them away from the conversation and got them back on the court for more drills. 

The day of the game came and Adrien was a little nervous. Everyone was wearing their orange and white uniform and hyping each other up. Kim noticed Adrien in his little corner. 

"You excited?" he asked. 

"Yeah. And a little nervous," Adrien replied. "I don't want to screw up." 

Kim gave Adrien a friendly clap on the back ."Don't worry. You're a natural, and everyone on this team trusts you. And, if you're still nervous when you get onto the court, find Marinette and your family. They'll be cheering you on, and they won't care if you screw up. They'll be proud of you no matter what." 

"Kim, Adrien, we need to get to warm-up!" 

Adrien took a deep breath. "Ok. I can do this." 

Casey and Marinette were in the stands, sandwiched between Tom and Felice. Plagg and Tali were in Casey's hoodie pocket, peeking out at the court. Casey had her phone out, along with a portable charger. Daisy, Evelyn and Charles had asked her to record pieces of the game and to let Adrien know they were cheering him on in spirit. Casey was more than happy to oblige. The stands were pretty packed. The pep band and cheerleaders were getting everyone energized for the game. The players came out onto the court to begin warm-up. Casey started searching for Adrien's face. 

"There! Number 13!" Marinette said, pointing towards him. 

Casey spotted him once she knew what number to look for. Adrien was scanning the stands, probably looking for them. 

"Adrien!" Casey called, waving her hand. He lit up once he saw them. "Go get 'em! You'll be great!" 

Adrien gave Casey an affirmative nod and focused on his warm-up. Waiting for the game to start wasn't as tedious as Casey thought it would be. The antics of the pep band made it easier for time to fly. Casey had never seen a group of kids go so wild with dancing while playing instruments. It cracked her up. They quieted down when the teams met on the court and first quarter began. 

Casey, Marinette, Felice, Josue, Tom and Sabine were on the edge of their seats. The scoring was back and forth, with neither holding a definitive lead for very long. Adrien was running up and down the court, sometimes helping to score, sometimes playing as a defender. Casey was completely clueless about basketball, but she could at least tell when someone was playing offensive or defensive. Depending on what others were doing, Adrien would switch between the two. She taped as many of his plays as possible. All the assists, shots and blocks she could. She felt a surge of pride as she watched Adrien play with his team. 

Things started to get intense when the final quarter rolled around. The scoring was still back and forth. Adrien had been pulled out for the second and third quarter to get some rest. He had played pretty hard in the first quarter. They had a few minutes still left on the clock, but it felt like everything was speeding up, putting pressure on both teams. They were down by three points after Kim scored on two free throws. When the clock hit one minute, Coach Martin called for a quick time-out. The team quickly huddle around. 

"Alright, Durand, great job keeping them at bay, get on the bench and rest up," he said quickly. "Agreste, I'm putting you back in. If you ever see an opening, get that ball to the basket." 

"You got it, Coach," Adrien replied. 

"Get back out there," he ordered. "Show them what this school's made of." 

Adrien felt the pressure rising. His nerves started returning. He took Kim's advice and looked over at the stands. Everyone was on their feet. He spotted Casey holding up her cell phone with a giant smile. Marinette was standing next to her with the same expression on her face. Tom, Josue, Sabine and Felice were going nuts in the stands. 

"Go Adrien!" They cheered. 

Kim was right. Seeing them cheering for him definitely calmed his nerves. The clock started again and Adrien focused on the ball and his teammates. They were pushing down the court as fast as they could. Adrien got to the three point line and saw an opening. He took a shot at the basket. The home side erupted into cheers at seeing the score tied up. The clock was ticking down fast and they had to get in one more basket. The opposing team had the ball and was making their way to the basket. Adrien saw a chance when one of the players moved to make a long pass. He stole the ball and started dribbling towards the net. 

"Adrien!" Kim called. 

Adrien made a split second decision and passed the ball to Kim. As soon as Kim caught it, he took a shot from the three point line. They scored the points with two seconds left on the clock. The pep band erupted in cheers and started playing the school song. The teams lined up and exchanged handshakes. When they got to the locker room, they started cheering. 

"Kim, that final shot was awesome!" 

"Don't forget Adrien's pass!" 

"That was an awesome first game!" 

Adrien beamed at the praise of his teammates. "Thanks guys. You all did great today, too." 

"Next game, we're gonna crush the other team!" Kim declared. 

Everyone was in a great mood and Adrien had a feeling they'd be that way until Monday. He got out of his uniform and saw his cheering squad waiting at the door. As soon as Casey saw him, she hugged him. 

"I'm so proud of you! That was a great game! Mom, Dad and Daisy are gonna love watching the clips!" 

"Thanks, Casey," Adrien replied. 

"Good job, Adrien," Marintte said, once Casey had released him. "You were great." 

"We need to celebrate this wonderful occasion," Tom stated.

"Agreed," Sabine piped. "Would you like to come over for some sweets?" 

"We wouldn't want to impose," Felice replied. 

"It's no trouble at all," Tom assured her. "We have plenty left over from the work day." 

"They do make the best pastries in Paris," Adrien stated. "It'd be a shame to let them go to waste." 

"He has a very convincing point," Casey said with a nod. "And what better way to celebrate than with friends and delicious pastries?"

Felice glanced over at Josue, who was being oddly silent. "Josue, do you not have any input?" 

"I may or may not," Josue replied. "But I refuse to pressure my wife into something she doesn't want to do." 

Felice shook her head with an amused smile. "Well, as long it's not a bother to you, we would love to join you." 

They happily made their way over to the Dupain-Cheng house. The short visit turned into a game night, with many video game tournaments. The victor was usually Tom or Marinette, though Sabine occasionally came out of left field and destroyed her competition. Casey had gotten a bit better at video games. Given how often they were her and Adrien's go-to bonding activity, it would have been pretty embarrassing if she hadn't. Both Casey and Josue were extremely happy they didn't work tomorrow, because they stayed over much later than they had intended. They finally made the move to leave when it became apparent that Adrien and Marinette were starting to fall asleep on top of each other. Before rousing Adrien, Casey took a quick picture. It wasn't her fault her brother and his girlfriend were adorable. Besides, in Daisy's words, pictures are memories that never die. 

Casey had to practically carry Adrien to his room, when they got home. She made sure he was sound asleep before heading to her own room to fall into sleep's embrace. They would need all their energy for tomorrow.... 

"Casey! Casey, get up!" Adrien called, rapidly knocking on her door. 

Sunlight was streaming into Casey's room, and her clock showed that it was nine in the morning. She let out a yawn and stretched. 

"Adrien, couldn't you have waited another half-hour?" she asked, opening her door. 

"No, because it's today," he replied with a large smile. 

"Yeah, but the shelter doesn't open until ten," Casey stated. "We don't need to be there the moment it opens." 

"But if we wait, then the perfect dog might be gone," Adrien reasoned. "We need to get there before our perfect dog gets adopted by someone else." 

Casey shook her head with a small chuckle. "Fine. Whatever you say. Just let me get some coffee, please." 

Plagg was sitting near Casey's spot as she made herself her morning drink of choice. He started inching towards her coffee cup when she sat down. 

"Something you want, Fluff Ball?" Casey asked, taking a sip. 

"I need something to wake up," Plagg groaned. "He woke me up too early." 

"You're not getting my coffee," Casey replied. "Not in a million years." 

"What if I promised to stop sneaking camenbert into Adrien's room at midnight?" 

Casey turned to glare at Plagg. "Excuse me, you've been doing _what_?" 

"What I meant to say is I'll stop having midnight snacks in the kitchen, where my cheese is supposed to be," Plagg replied quickly. 

"You know, that explains why your stash keeps running out so quickly," Casey mused. "And we'll be having a discussion about where you've been stashing your cheese later." 

Casey finished her coffee and made a quick breakfast. Adrien was barely able to contain his excitement. One part of his body was constantly tapping, whether it be his leg or his fingers. At ten fifteen, Casey was finally ready and they made their way down to the car. Adrien was going through their breed list, which they had successfully narrowed down to four. When they entered the shelter parking lot, Adrien wanted to jump from the car and run inside. He was stopped by Casey who put her arm firmly on his shoulder. 

"Adrien, I get that you're excited," she said. "There's nothing wrong with that, but we have to keep it under wraps, ok? These dogs are all rescues. We have to be calm, make sure we don't spook them. Can you do that for me?" 

He nodded. "Yeah, I can do that." 

"Then lets go get a dog." 

The shelter was pretty big. There were lots of different dogs. Adrien calmly walked by the kennels, looking at each of the dogs inside. Some were a bit aggressive and growled at him as he passed. Some were shy and huddled in the corner of the kennel. Others were friendly and ran right up to the door to greet them. Casey would glance at the information on the kennels as they walked by. 

They were getting close to the back of the shelter. There had been a few dogs they'd looked at, but they didn't really like Tali and Plagg, which was a pretty big deal. Casey and Adrien refused to make them hide around in their own house. His eyes widened when he saw a kennel with a dog curled up in a ball. As Adrien approached, the dog's head perked up. The dog had wide ears that drooped down by corner of its mouth and a long tail that started wagging when Adrien got down on his knees to look at it. The dog was covered in curly, brown fur with a little stripe of white on its chest. 

"Casey, come look at this one," Adrien called. 

Casey came over and read the information on the kennel. "One year old barbet, male, left at the shelter by his previous owner just a few days ago." 

"Barbet! That's one of the breeds on the list," Adrien exclaimed. 

"Yes, it is," Casey replied, kneeling next to Adrien. "You think he could be the one?" 

"Maybe," Adrien answered. 

The barbet walked over to the door of his kennel and tried to sniff at the two siblings through the wire. His tail started wagging like a whip. Casey had to admit, he was a very cute dog, and, according to Adrien's research, could be incredibly friendly and intelligent. Just looking at him made Casey really want to take him home, but they needed to make sure he would be okay with the two other residents in their house. 

"Tali, Plagg, why don't you say hi," Casey said softly. 

"If this one tries to eat me like the last one, I'm done," Plagg stated. 

"He won't eat you," Adrien replied. "At least... I don't think." 

"Very reassuring." 

"Just say hi to the dog," Casey interjected. 

Plagg and Tali floated out of their hiding spots and floated in front of the dog. He turned his head, examining the kwamis with intense curiosity. Casey was a little surprised he didn't bark at them. Tali was the first to float into the kennel. He seemed to like her and thought she would start playing with him. Naturally, Tali did her best to entertain the pup by playing a bit of hide and seek. She even got him to sit for her. That made him kwami friendly for one. The million dollar question was could he win over Plagg? 

"Go on, Plagg," Adrien said quietly. "See if he likes you."

"He's really sweet," Tali stated, scratching the top of the dog's head. 

Plagg phased into the kennel and floated in front of the dog's face. Neither did anything right away. Casey and Adrien worried that maybe the dog wouldn't like there being two kwamis. After what felt like an eternity, the dog licked Plagg with a happy bark. 

"Blegh," Plagg said, flicking slobber off of his paws. "That was disgusting." 

The dog got down on his front paws, ready for Plagg to start a game with him. Casey thought his tail couldn't wag any faster when he saw them stop at his kennel. Apparently she was wrong, because his tail was essentially a blur. 

"I think he likes you," Tali giggled. 

Plagg patted the dog on the nose. "Well...I guess I could tolerate him. Only because the three of you insist on getting a dog." 

"Whatever you say, Plagg," Adrien replied with a smile. 

"I think we've found our dog," Casey said, reaching her fingers through the wire to scratch his snout. "Want to see if he likes the name we picked out?" 

"I think he'll like it," Adrien answered. "What do you think about the name Biz, buddy?" 

The dog cocked his head to the side with what Casey and Adrien assumed was a doggy smile. 

"Biz, short for Bizet," Adrien explained to him. "Like one of my favorite composers." 

The dog let out another bark, still smiling at the two. 

"I think he likes it," Casey stated. "You like that, don't you, Biz?" 

They were met with two affirmative barks from Biz. Tali and Plagg went back into their hiding spots, and Casey went to go fill out the paperwork. Adrien sat with Biz, petting him with his fingers. Adrien couldn't believe it. They were really taking him home. Casey came back a few minutes later with one of the workers and a leash and a collar in her hands. The worker opened up the kennel and Casey knelt down in front of Biz. Biz sat still as Casey put the collar and the leash on him. He held his snout up in what Adrien assumed was pride. 

"Ready to see your new home, Biz?" Casey asked, scratching him on the head. 

Driving home with Biz in the car was interesting. Biz sat right up by the window, dragging his nose along the glass. Adrien kept reaching back and scratching his back. Occasionally, Biz would get excited by something in front of them and try and shimmy his way into the front. He started running in tiny circles when they pulled into the alley next to their apartment. It took a moment to get him calmed down enough for Casey to put the leash back on. When they got into the apartment and let Biz off, he started exploring everywhere. He found his bed, stash of new toys, his food and water bowl in the kitchen and Casey and Adrien's rooms. When he returned to the living room he grabbed a rope and pawed at Adrien. Now who could refuse literal puppy eyes? Adrien happily got on the floor and started playing tug of war with him. When Biz got bored of tug of war, he jumped up onto the couch right next to Casey and started burrowing himself under her legs. 

"What are you doing, dog?" Casey asked as Adrien cackled on the floor. "There's nothing there." 

When he couldn't go under Casey's legs, he plopped himself on her lap, essentially blocking her view of anything right in front of her. 

"You know you're not a lap dog, right?" 

"I don't think he cares," Adrien replied. 

"You're a goofball, Biz," Casey stated, happily scratching him by the ears. "A big, furry goofball." 

The first night with Biz was eventful. All Biz wanted to do was play. They took him for a walk and discovered just how much barbets liked to swim when he pulled them over to a fountain and jumped right in. Thankfully, the leash was long enough and the fountain was small enough that Biz couldn't really pull Casey in with him. That was a lovely conversation to have with Sabrina's dad when he asked why they were fishing their dog out of it. Thankfully, Biz shook most of the water out and dried himself off in the sun. They got back home and took some pictures to send to the Burtons and Marinette. Daisy was jealous as could be and Marinette gushed over how cute Biz looked. Biz was thoroughly tired out by the end of the day and collapsed in his dog bed by the living room window. While Plagg said that he would only tolerate the presence of Biz in the house, Casey, Adrien and Tali saw him playing with him while they were making dinner in the kitchen and saw him sleeping on top of Biz's head as the sun went down.


	27. Missed Time

Monday started Adrien and Casey's new routine. The schedule he and Marinette had created was posted on the fridge, showing that, instead of driving to school, Casey and Adrien would use it as an opportunity to give Biz a more lengthy walk before Casey had to get to work. While they got ready for the day, they took some opportunities to tease Plagg, who had spent the entire night with Biz in the living room, rather than his own nook. 

"Just saying, Plagg," Casey said with a shrug. "If anyone else were here they might think you actually like having Biz here, and we just got him yesterday." 

"I do not like him," Plagg replied. "I'm just trying to make sure that we get along, since I still have to live here." 

"Sure, Plagg. Sure," Adrien muttered, reaching for a donut. 

Biz plopped down next to Adrien and stared up at him. It didn't take long for drool to start forming and dripping from Biz's mouth. Adrien noticed and moved his donut around. Biz's eyes followed it and he let out a small whimper. 

"What's Biz doing?" Casey asked, peering over from her side of the table. 

"I think he wants my breakfast," Adrien answered. 

"No, Biz," Casey stated firmly. "That's not puppy food." 

"No," Adrien said, eating his donut. 

Biz flopped down with a 'humph'. Casey and Adrien had to work to not laugh at Biz's pouting. 

"Biz, you want your breakfast?" Casey asked, making her way over to the dog food. 

All traces of his pouting vanished and he scampered over to his food bowl and sat patiently as Casey scooped out his breakfast. She scratched him behind the ears as he started gobbling it up. They had to leave a little earlier than usual for Adrien to get to school on-time, which made them rush through some of their morning routine. Biz ran to the door when Casey picked up his leash. This time, Casey would make sure to keep him from pulling her towards any near-by water features. Biz was thrilled with the walk to school. He wanted to sniff everything he could find. Casey and Adrien would pull him along if he tried to stick his nose somewhere that he wasn't supposed to, like under a cafe table that, thankfully, did not have any people sitting at it. Yeah, they had a lot of training they'd need to do with Biz...

When they got to school, Marinette was the first to come up with them. She immediately let Bz sniff her hand, then started showering him with pets. 

"He's so cute," she said as Biz tried to lick her hand. 

"You should've seen him when we spotted him at the shelter," Adrien replied. "He started wagging his tail and sniffing at us through the wire and he was so happy when Casey put the collar on him." 

"Adrien, you got a dog!" Rose squealed, quickly running over. 

"Yeah, this is Biz. We just got him." 

"He's adorable!" Rose exclaimed, clapping her hands in excitement. "Is it ok if I pet him?" 

"Sure," Casey answered. "Just let him sniff you first." 

Biz was loving the attention. He did not like when Casey told Adrien that they needed to get home. Adrien gave Casey a quick hug and patted Biz on the head before running into the school. With the people heading inside the school, it was easier for Casey to get Biz walking again. The walk seemed to take out enough of his energy for the morning. He settled down on his bed and when Casey went up to check on him during her break, he was content. Victor and Dee begged to meet Biz during their lunch break when Casey was supposed to take him for a quick walk around the block. To satisfy her friends, Casey let them come with her while she walked him. When they finished their little stroll, it was clear that Biz liked Dee the best. Did that have to do with the fact that Dee had some carrots that she happily shared with him? That was exactly what Victor and Casey thought. According to Dee, she was just an animal magnet. 

Adrien came home from school and took Biz for another quick walk around the block. When Adrien went to his room to do homework, Biz followed and sat down right by his feet. Plagg sat on top of Biz's head, occasionally talking to Adrien when he had a question about his school work. As soon as Casey got home, Adrien, Plagg and Biz went to the kitchen. Adrien and Plagg were helping Casey and Tali with dinner while Biz contentedly laid on the floor, occasionally getting up to snatch up small pieces offood that got dropped on the floor. 

It became common for people in their neighborhood to see Biz with Casey and/or Adrien at least once a day. Adrien's classmates all got the opportunity to meet him at least once when Casey walked with Adrien to school. Every day, Biz became more and more well-trained, as the two siblings and their kwamis spent at least an hour after Casey got off work teaching him new commands and tricks. Biz was surprisingly easy to train. They just needed to have one of his favorite toys or a few treats and he listened. He learned new commands quickly. After having him around for a month, Plagg finally openly admitted to liking his company. Tali teased him for an entire week any time he did anything with the dog. 

It started getting chilly and before they knew it, it was the end of October. Adrien was sitting with Biz and Plagg on the couch when Casey came into the living room on the phone. 

"Mom, of course I'm going to ask him," Casey said. "I'm a little insulted you think I wouldn't. Besides, we've got Biz. I can't exactly leave this to the last minute....Look, we'll figure it all out, ok?....We'll probably drive and take the Euro-tunnel. The Eurostar doesn't allow dogs and I'm not sure Biz could handle being left at a boarder...I'm aware that it's a long drive....Yes, I'm planning on calling Amelie and asking if she would like us to stop by....Yes, I can invite her." 

Adrien and Plagg watched as Casey talked with Evelyn. Adrien had a feeling Casey was going to ask him something when the conversation ended. Casey chuckled as she listened to whatever Evelyn was saying. 

"Mom, stop worrying. It's Christmas, not a visit from the Queen," Casey stated. "I gotta go. I'll call you later. Love you." 

Casey plopped down on the couch and started scratching Biz. She started to laugh a little. Adrien was more than a little curious about the conversation with Evelyn. 

"So, what was that about?" Adrien asked once she'd stopped laughing. 

"Mom wanted me to ask if you wanted to go to Portsmouth for Christmas," Casey answered. 

"Isn't it a bit early to be talking about Christmas? We've still got a month," Adrien stated. 

"No, if anything this is a late start for her," Casey replied. "She goes all out with Christmas. Invites Charlie, Danny and their families, makes a giant feast that even Daisy can't finish, decorates the house in lights and everything. To her, Christmas is the biggest holiday to spend time with family." 

"Will Aunt Felice and Uncle Josue be going?" 

"Probably. Actually, this will be Uncle Josue's first Christmas in Portsmouth." 

"Will there be cheese?" Plagg inquired. 

"Probably not camenbert, but there will be cheese galore," Casey answered. "I'm surprised Mom never got a chocolate fountain for Tali."

"Instead, she gets these fancy Christmas chocolates that are to die for," Tali piped. "I could eat those for the entire year." 

"And I'm glad you don't because that would be way too expensive," Casey replied. 

"Sounds like Christmas would be fun if we went to Portsmouth," Adrien said with a smile. "What all do you do?" 

"We do a lot of stuff. There's a pond where Dad takes us ice skating. Ice is always nice and thick and I'm always the first to fall down," Casey answered. "We bake Christmas treats together, candied chestnuts, traditional speculaas, madeleines, a yule log cake, pumpkin pie, a whole bunch of stuff." 

"That sounds awesome," Adrien replied. "And incredibly sugary." 

"If it weren't for Mom and Dad, Daisy and I would go nuts at Christmas with the sweets." 

"The truffles are my favorite," Tali hummed. "Best dessert ever." 

"And Christmas Eve, we get together in the living room and watch _Scrooge_ , an old 1970's movie, and _A Christmas Tale_ ," Casey continued. "And in the morning, after opening presents, we have a giant snowball fight in the backyard, kids versus adults." 

"So, are you going to be on the adult side this year?" Plagg inquired. 

"I suppose I should make it more clear," Casey replied. "It is the older generation against the younger. So I fight on the kids' side." 

"Sounds like Christmas in Portsmouth is fun," Adrien piped. 

"Do you want to go?" Casey asked. 

"Definitely. What did Evelyn ask about Aunt Amelie?" 

"She wanted Casey to ask if she and Felix wanted to come to Portsmouth as well, even if it was just for a day," Tali answered. 

"Which, I will call later and ask if she wants us to drop by for the holidays and formally invite them to Portsmouth," Casey stated. "No need to rush. I'm not going to turn into my mother and start stressing every time November drops in." 

"How does your house fit that many people in it?" Adrien asked. "I mean, I've been there. It's only got two floors." 

"Those two floors have more rooms than you might think," Casey replied. "Mom will probably bunk me and Daisy together in her room, then you and Felix will probably share my old room, and there's one guest room on the first floor, and a second one on the second floor. Nine people can stay there without a problem." 

"And have Charlie and Danny's families coming over?" Plagg inquired doubtfully. 

"Danny, her mom, Charlie, his mom and his dad," Tali listed. "That's only five more people. That house can easily take fourteen people in it. It's four more than last year. Not that bad." 

"Wait a minute you mean..." Casey started. 

She quickly lost her thought and her face fell. Tali put her paws over her mouth once she realized what she'd said. Adrien caught on pretty quick. Biz noticed the sudden change in atmosphere and started nuzzling Casey's hand. 

"Casey?" 

"I'm fine," Casey replied. 

Her voice didn't really match up with that sentence. It was tight and Adrien could see her staring blankly at the tv. 

"Casey," he repeated. "Are you ok?" 

"Why wouldn't I be?" Casey asked. "It's not like I missed much, right? We do the same thing every year. Just add it to the list of things I missed. The list of unimportant shit I missed because I was too busy being nothing but a speck inside my own Miraculous." 

Casey's breath started hitching and her eyes misted over. She leaned over the back of the couch and put her arm over her eyes. 

"I don't even know why I'm crying," she stated. "I know I missed a lot. I missed my own sister's birthday, my aunt and uncle's wedding, I don't even know what kind of things I missed out on for you when I should have been there. What's one Christmas in the grand scheme of things?" 

"You've been avoiding thinking about it, haven't you?" Tali asked, setting herself on Casey's shoulder. 

"What's the point in thinking about it, Tali? I died. What matters is that I'm sitting here right now, with the best family I could have ever asked for, and that's more important than remembering whatever time I lost." 

Adrien's fists clenched and he felt resentful towards Gabriel. It wasn't often that he thought about Gabriel or the things he had done. Seeing Casey start to cry, Adrien realized that Casey didn't have the ability to talk to anyone about what Gabriel did to _her_. She couldn't talk to anyone about what she must've felt when she vanished into thin air and what it was like wandering inside her pendant. Of course she wouldn't want to talk to him. He was her little brother, she needed to be there for him, her pain be damned. He was her priority. Adrien wrapped her in a tight hug. She was his priority too. He'd make sure she knew that.


	28. Christmas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for suddenly going silent. It's been a long week with a lot of big changes for me as well as a lot of writer's block. There's one more chapter after this that I just need to edit and add a few last details to and then that concludes the Eagle Miraculous Series.  
> I will be starting a work of one-shots and will be taking requests, so if there's anything you want me to try and write, just ask. Be warned, the one-shots will not be updated as regularly as the series was.

The final weeks before winter break were full of excitement from the students at Dupont. For once, Adrien was able to join in the conversation about plans for break. It was nice being able to talk with everyone about when they were going to visit family and what they could do while they were all in town. Adrien got more excited for the holidays the longer he and his friends talked about their plans. On the last day before break, Ms. Bustier gave them an assignment: create a presentation about what they did iver the holidays to present to the class when they returned.

Kagami dropped Adrien off after fencing and Casey instructed him to double check everything he packed. Once that was done, they spent their evening playing with Biz and relaxing in the living room. Adrien was sent to bed early in preparation for their long drive. Adrien woke up early the next morning to Casey softly knocking on his door. 

"Time to get up," Casey said. "We need to hit the road soon. Breakfast is in the kitchen. Are you all packed?" 

"Yeah," Adrien answered, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "It's not even light out yet. Do we have to leave this early?" 

"Yes. We need to get to the tunnel at least an hour before our time so we can check in. Now up and at 'em." 

Adrien dragged himself from his bed. His breakfast was waiting on a plate. Casey was busy getting everything into the car. She had a bag full of stuff for Biz; his favorite toy and blanket, food and treats and small bowls for his food and water. Tali was double checking it while Casey took their suitcases down to the car. Biz watched them from his bed, though he looked as awake as Adrien and Plagg. After a quick shower, Adrien felt more awake, though he expected to fall asleep in the car. Casey took Biz for a walk while Adrien gathered a few things to keep him entertained in the car. He grabbed a book, a pillow and his headphones. He placed them in the car as Casey came back. She put Biz in the back of the car, ushered Plagg and Tali in after him, then went up to lock up the apartment. They left the apartment at six and began their long drive to London. 

Adrien fell asleep for the first leg of the journey, which was about three hours. He woke up just as they were getting into Calais. That meant they'd be getting to the Euro-tunnel pretty soon. Biz was poking his head between the front seats, resting on the console. Casey was double checking her directions and the time, mentally counting the minutes. 

"Have a pleasant nap?" Casey asked, briefly breaking her mental check. 

"It was pretty nice," Adrien replied. "How close until we get to the tunnel?" 

"Just a few more minutes," she answered. "We'll have to wait a little bit to get checked in, and then we'll be in the tunnel for about half an hour." 

"Will we be able to see anything?" Plagg asked. 

"Nope. It's just concrete walls," Casey replied. "We wouldn't see much anyways. Just water. And you two need to stay out of sight until we get into the tunnel." 

"We know," Tali piped. "We're thousands of years old. We don't need to be reminded of the basic stuff." 

"Just making sure." 

Casey followed the signs to the tunnel and got into the self-check in lane. Once they were checked in, they had about half an hour before they had to go. Casey took the opportunity to get Biz a little exercise and then she and Adrien took a quick pit stop. The wait didn't feel as long as it was. The ride in the tunnel felt even shorter. Those weren't what got Adrien to start getting antsy in the car. What got Adrien antsy was the drive from Folkestone to London. They had been in the car for four and a half hours and he wanted to get out. 

"Adrien, stop shaking the car," Casey said, glancing over at her brother. 

"Sorry," he replied. "I just really want to get out of the car." 

"We're almost there. Just another hour and a half." 

"That's so long," Plagg whined. "Why are we even driving all the way to London? Why couldn't we have just taken the Euro-train from Paris?" 

"We've had this conversation," Casey sighed. "The Euro-train doesn't allow dogs, and we couldn't leave Biz behind." 

"She has a point," Tali stated. "And besides, we would've been on the train for about the same amount of time." 

"You can entertain yourselves in the back," Casey suggested. "Play with Biz a bit. You could sleep. Another hour and a half isn't going to kill you." 

"Besides, you're not the ones driving," Adrien whispered. 

Plagg took Casey's advice, albeit, in a different way than she had intended. He sat on Biz's head and messed around with his ears. Biz put up with it for about five minutes before shaking Plagg off. Plagg let out an indignant hiss before settling on his back. Adrien buried himself in his book and Tali put on some music. Adrien eventually gave up on reading when Tali started singing along, which led to him and Plagg joining in. Biz started howling along with them. Casey was keeping her eyes fixed on the road and was trying hard to not laugh.

"Aren't you going to sing along?" Adrien asked. "It's fun." 

"I know it is, but I'm driving," Casey answered. "I'll be just fine listening to your little quartet." 

Plagg and Tali took that as an invitation to sing louder. They spent the rest of the ride singing. When they reached London, Tali and Plagg zoomed into their respective holder's pocket. It took Casey a few minutes to find the Graham de Vanily home. She had been expecting it to be as big and lavish as Gabriel's mansion. She was happily surprised to find that while it was lavish, it was a fair bit smaller than the Agreste Mansion. Staff ran out to greet them and helped them pull their luggage out of the trunk. Casey was too busy holding onto Biz to put up a fight for the car keys and someone took it to the garage. Amelie and Felix were waiting for them inside and had their bag taken to their rooms. 

"It's lovely to see you two," Amelie said, giving the two a quick hug. "And I finally get to meet this beautiful little pup." 

Biz sniffed Amelie's hand and basked in her attention. Casey managed to keep him from jumping up in excitement and he sat as Amelie scratched his head. Adrien noticed his tail thumping against the floor as it wagged. He turned towards Felix and noticed that he was eyeing Biz warily and keeping his distance. 

"Want to meet him?" Adrien asked. "He's really friendly and Casey won't let him jump on you." 

"I'll stay over here," Felix replied. "While I'm sure he's a...charming animal, I'd like to avoid getting dog hair all over my clothes." 

"He doesn't shed a lot," Casey stated. "But you don't have to say hi." 

"When did you decide to adopt him?" Amelie inquired. 

"One of my coworkers mentioned that a pet might be a good fit for us and Adrien would not let it go," Casey answered with a small smile. "This boy spent the next two days researching dog breeds and costs and which ones were good for apartments and even got Marinette to help him make a whole schedule for a dog just to convince me." 

"That seems a bit excessive," Felix commented. 

"Have you met my sister? She's more stubborn than Alya," Adrien replied. "I had to be convincing." 

"Why don't you two go have some fun while Casey and I catch up," Amelie suggested. "There are some things we need to talk about regarding our trip to Portsmouth tomorrow." 

"Is it alright if I let Biz off?" Casey asked. "He'll probably just follow me or Adrien." 

"Go ahead. You've trained him well," Amelie answered. "I'm sure he won't cause a ruckus." 

Biz decided he'd follow Adrien as Felix led him upstairs. While Felix didn't seems to really want to be around Biz, he didn't argue or grumble about it. He let Biz follow them into his room. When Adrien sat down, Biz laid himself right in front of his feet. 

"He's a loyal dog, I'll give him that," Felix stated. "Why the name Biz?" 

"Short for Bizet," Adrien explained. 

"A decent composer. Personally, I prefer Mozart."

"He's not bad. Maybe a little over rated." 

"Did you just Mozart over rated? I thought you loved playing his pieces." 

"They're good, but not really my favorite," Adrien said with a shrug. 

Felix took a moment to wrap his head around what he was hearing. He and Adrien had been playing Mozart's music since they had started piano. Adrien played without complaint for his father. It was so unlike him to really voice any dislike of something. He couldn't help but add it to the list of things he'd seen change about his cousin since he went to live with his sister. Changes for the better. 

"Alright, I assume that since you named your dog after him, Bizet must be your favorite," Felix stated. 

"You would not be wrong." 

"So, let's play some of his music," he said, gesturing towards a piano. "I believe we have some of his works in our library, and a few of his pieces made their way into my repertoire." 

Adrien nodded and they quickly found some music. They played a duet and Biz started to howl along with them as they played. For a dog, Felix would admit, the howling wasn't too off from the actual music. Granted, it still didn't mesh well with it. Adrien seemed absolutely thrilled that Biz was 'singing' along with them. 

Casey and Amelie were in the middle of discussing when they should leave for Portsmouth when the sound of Biz's howling drifted down the halls and into the sitting room. Casey knew that meant that Adrien was probably playing the piano and hadn't told him to stop. For whatever reason, Adrien liked having Biz howl as he played. She and Amelie followed the howling to Felix's room. They opened the door just a crack and peeked inside. 

"Oh. I don't believe it," Amelie whispered. 

"They're playing together," Casey stated with a smile. 

"I can't remember the last time they played a duet," Amelie replied. 

"They make a good team." 

"They really do." 

As the boys continued to play, Biz noticed Casey and Amelie peeking inside. He bounded over to the door with a happy bark. Adrien and Felix paused and turned to find what was making Biz bark. They were quick to spot Casey and Amelie's faces through the crack of the door. 

"What are you doing?" Felix asked quickly. 

Amelie opened the door with a shy smile. "We heard Biz howling and came to investigate." 

"Hope you don't mind having an audience," Casey replied. "It was a great duet." 

Adrien beamed. "You think so?" 

"Oh, you two were absolutely wonderful," Amelie assured him. 

"Would you like us to leave while you keep playing or is it ok if we stick around?" Casey asked. 

Felix glanced over at Adrien and saw that he was still smiling like a little boy. He had to admit, he appreciated the praise from both Casey and his mother. He gave Adrien a small shrug. Adrien told them that they could stay while they continued to play. They played for quite awhile, with the two women continuing to give them praise. Amelie gave them a few small pointers. When Felix asked Casey if she had anything to say she stated that she was completely unqualified and could barely play. Felix had the smallest hint of a smile as he and Adrien picked more pieces to play. When they finished, the rest of the day passed in a flash with Felix recalling small bits of activities; playing with Biz in the snow, teaching Adrien a few magic tricks and running around the house as if they were little kids again. Amelie and Casey shared knowing smiles as Adrien and Felix fell asleep on the couch. It was nice seeing the boys be happy with each other's company.

They left London the next day just after lunch. Thankfully, the drive to Portsmouth was not as long as the trip from Paris. Amelie and Felix drove behind Casey and Adrien. Casey didn't need a map to navigate her hometown and took them to the Burton house. Adrien remembered the last time he was here and was thankful that now it was under much happier circumstances. The brick house was covered in icicles and Christmas lights. There was a snowman in the front yard that Adrien guessed Daisy had built. 

As soon as they got out of their car, Daisy came running out of the front door barefoot and without her winter coat. Casey picked her up out of the snow before she could realize that snow was, in fact, cold. Daisy gave Amelie and Felix a wave and a bright 'happy Christmas' as Casey took her back to the house. They were welcomed warmly by Evelyn, Charles, Felice and Josue once they got all of their stuff inside the house. Evelyn showed Felix and Adrien to Casey's old room. The bed had a trundle under it that was pulled out and had a clean pair of sheets on it. Casey got her stuff settled in Daisy's room and Evelyn helped Amelie get settled in the guest room on the second floor. 

The traditions started as soon as everyone had gotten back downstairs. Evelyn, Casey, Felice and Amelie worked in the kitchen making the cookie dough while Felix, Adrien and Daisy got to cut them out. When Charles and Josue came to offer their services in baking the cookies, the three Barbereau women quickly shooed them away from the cookie dough and put them in charge of making the frosting. 

"Hey, Adrien," Daisy whispered. "I've got an awesome idea. It has to do with the two soon-to-be-lovebirds." 

Adrien's interest was immediately piqued. "What's the idea?" 

"It involves a lot of mistletoe," Daisy stated with a grin. 

"I'm listening." 

Felix overheard Daisy detail her little scheme to Adrien. The two were bad at whispering. It was a miracle that Casey didn't hear them at all. He had to admit, their little scheme would be impressive if it managed to do what they hoped. If not...well, he had a feeling Casey would kill them if it didn't. They noticed him listening in. 

"Do you want to help us, Fe?" Daisy asked. 

Felix shook his head. "I would prefer not to be on the receiving end of Casey's wrath when she finds out what you're doing." 

Daisy puffed out her cheeks. "Fine. But you can't tell her what we're doing." 

"Now why would I do that? It would just ruin whatever entertainment I'll get out of watching your little scheme play out."

"Why do I have a feeling you think this is going to blow up in our faces?" Adrien asked. 

"Because I may think that," Felix admitted. 

"Well, we shall prove you wrong!" Daisy announced. 

"Prove who wrong about what?" Evelyn asked from the kitchen. 

"Nothing!" Adrien and Daisy said quickly. 

Felix waited for Adrien and Daisy to get caught. The first night, they were sneaking around with their arms full of mistletoe. Felix had no idea where they got it and somehow, everyone else's' backs were turned when they went around to put it up. The second night, they were making phone calls to someone named Danny. Felix had no idea who Danny was, but given their elated expressions, they were probably going to help Adrien and Daisy. It was the third day, Christmas Eve, that Felix started to see things play out. 

Just after breakfast, two other families showed up. Felix figured the boy was Charlie. Charlie was a perfect mix of his two parents. His mom's hair and face shape, his dad's eyes, body type and freckles. The two women were obviously mother and daughter. Casey greeted Charlie and the younger woman warmly. He noticed that when she hugged Charlie she lingered just a little. So did he. When they broke away from each other, Casey turned her attention to the brunette. 

"How was your semester, Danny?" Casey asked. 

Felix paused his assessment. The girl was Danny? It must have been a nickname. Short for Danielle, maybe?

"It went pretty well," Danny replied. "My exams were pretty easy, so I feel really good about my grades." 

"That's awesome. What about you, Charlie? How was the traveling?" 

"It was pretty good," he answered. "Spent a bit of time in Belgium and Germany. I think I might have found a place to settle down." 

"That's great," Casey replied. "You'll need to tell us where." 

"I will," Charlie assured her. "I just need to get some last details taken care of." 

They didn't stay inside very long. Everyone grabbed a pair of ice skates and Charles led them on an expedition to a nearby pond. Evelyn, Amelie, Felice and Josue stayed off of the ice, content to just watch. Felix would have stayed off of the pond as well, if not for the fact that Adrien and Daisy pulled him out onto the ice and made him skate. It wasn't completely horrible. Felix enjoyed skating circles around everyone else with the two of them. The first person to fall on the ice was Casey. She really wasn't all that graceful on the ice. 

Charlie laughed as he helped her up. "We've been doing this for years and you still can't stay up for more than a minute." 

"You're exaggerating," Casey replied. "That was at least two minutes." 

"At that rate, you'll spend more time on your butt than on your feet." 

"I could push you onto your butt," Casey stated. "Then I wouldn't be the only one." 

"Or you could hang onto my arm like you do every year," Charlie replied, grabbing her hand and pulling her along. 

Adrien and Daisy exchanged giddy smiles as Charlie led Casey around the pond. Felix also saw Felice and Evelyn smirk at each other as Evelyn snapped a picture. He had a feeling Daisy and Adrien weren't the only people in this family that were waiting for the two friends to get together, they were just the only two trying to actively set them up. 

They spent a few hours on the ice before heading back to the house. Evelyn was happy to make everyone hot chocolate, with the help of Mrs. Roberts. Everyone gathered in the living room to socialize. Felix wasn't completely used to the atmosphere. People were talking just to talk instead of trying to get something out of each other. It was something he rarely saw, given the type of people that came to work for his mother at the film studio. It was refreshing. Danny, Charlie and Casey openly invited Felix to join in their conversation about Danny's school work. Personally, Felix found it fascinating and he could have talked about it for ages. 

"You know, Felix, I think you'd like studying business," Danny stated. "You have the mind for it." 

"Thank you," Felix replied. "I'm hoping I can work with my mother at Graham Films after I graduate. Handle some of the more behind the scenes things, like negotiating contracts and managing the studio's budgets." 

"Sounds like you really know what you want," Casey commented. 

"Casey, can you come help me with the hot chocolate?" Evelyn called. "We need an extra set of hands." 

"Coming," Casey replied, pulling herself away from the conversation. 

"I'll help," Charlie said, following her. 

The two went into the kitchen and came back with a tray of mugs. Everyone got up from their spots to grab a mug. Once everyone was back in their spots on the couch or the floor, they grabbed their own mugs. As the two of them passed under the doorway, Danny's eyes widened. 

"Uh, guys," she said, pointing at something hanging above them. 

Charlie glanced up and his face turned bright red. "Oh...mistletoe." 

Casey caught Adrien and Daisy smirking and rolled her eyes. "This was your doing, wasn't it?" 

"We may have put a little mistletoe up around the house," Daisy replied with an innocent shrug. "We're just getting into the Christmas spirit." 

"How much is a little mistletoe?" Charles inquired. 

"Oh, a little bit here, a little bit there," Adrien answered. "Not too much." 

Danny glanced over at the two. "Well? You know the rules. On with it." 

Casey shook her head before quickly kissing Charlie on the cheek. She joined Josue and Charles on the couch, getting sucked into a conversation about a recent hobby Charles had been looking into. Charlie stood frozen in the doorway with wide eyes and a red face. 

"Weren't you already in on this?" Felix asked, turning back to Danny. "I'm pretty sure Adrien and Daisy called you." 

"They may have mentioned it and I may have encouraged it," she admitted. "Believe me, Aria and I have been waiting for those two to stop beating around the bush since we were sixteen. Someone needs to give them a little shove, and it's not gonna be any of the adults. They 'respect their autonomy and not pressure them into a relationship that they might not be ready for.' Besides, look at Charlie's face. You can't tell me that's not the face of a guy who is head over heels for one Casey Barbereau." 

"I will not disagree with that assessment." 

"But you won't actively help." 

"I don't like getting involved in... _that_." 

"That being siblings meddling with each other's lives or deciding to play cupid?" 

"Both." 

Turns out Adrien and Daisy's definition of 'a little mistletoe' was over almost every spot that was guaranteed to have Casey and Charlie be in it. Sometimes it just appeared out of nowhere, and if Casey had to hazard a guess, Plagg and Tali were probably the reason for it. Seriously, mistletoe did not just happen to appear in the middle of the ceiling with no hooks or string. Sometimes Casey spotted it and managed to avoid it, such as the little sprig hanging on the fireplace mantle and the one hanging in the corner where she and Charlie always ended up sitting after lunch. Other times Charlie would catch it, like when Daisy tried to lower it over them from the stairs using a fishing pole (she got in trouble for that particular stunt). After the third time, Casey was too irritated to roll with her siblings' antics and would walk right past it. She and Charlie got caught under mistletoe a grand total of ten times and they both agreed to just ignore it and keep walking. They had a slight reprieve during dinner, but once the food was cleaned up, it started all over again. Casey finally snapped when Adrien was trying to sneak up behind them while they were sitting on the couch. 

"Adrien, if you dangle a piece of mistletoe over our heads, I swear, I will lock you out in the snow, barefoot," Casey warned. "Where did you even get this much mistletoe?" 

"Mr. Gardner," he answered. "Said his wife kept finding it and never really got rid of it. He gave us a whole box." 

"I swear, this Christmas is going to be red instead of white if I see another stupid plant." 

"Well, you know what you have to do," Daisy piped with a mischievous smile. "Charlie and Casey, sittin' in a tree-" 

"That's it!" Casey exclaimed, lunging at Daisy. 

Daisy let out a yelp and bolted for the stairs. "Adrien, help me!" 

"Believe me, when I get done with you, he's next!" Casey replied,following her. 

Adrien's eyes widened and he quickly ducked behind the couch. "Evelyn, Casey's gonna kill me." 

"And whose fault is that?" Evelyn asked, glancing at him. 

"We were just trying to be helpful." 

"You went a little overboard," Felix stated. 

There was a loud commotion coming from upstairs, along with some yelling of by Charles as he attempted to diffuse the situation. He didn't succeed given that everyone heard Casey let out a string of curse words followed by more running. 

"Mom!" Daisy called, coming back down the stairs. 

Daisy joined Adrien in cowering behind Evelyn's spot on the couch. Casey came back downstairs with an irritated look, holding another sprig of mistletoe. 

"Casey," Evelyn said calmly. 

"They put it everywhere!" Casey exclaimed. "Even above my damn bed!" 

"I know you're irritated, but you can't murder your brother and sister." 

"Not even a little?" 

"Go cool off," Evelyn suggested. "I promise, they will take down all the mistletoe. Right, you two?" 

Adrien and Daisy quickly nodded, spouting promises that Casey wouldn't see another piece for the rest of their lives. Evelyn gave Casey a pointed look and gestured for her to head someplace to calm down. Casey listened to her mother and went to get some air on the back porch. Adrien and Daisy jumped up from their spot and started running around the house to collect all of the mistletoe. 

Casey had hoped the cold air outside would help her cool down. It worked a little bit. Looking at the snow falling definitely lowered her blood pressure. She loved Adrien and Daisy, she really did, but why did they have to be so damn irritating about this? It wasn't the little teasing that made her laugh, it was absolutely mortifying. The first time she could take. But they put it everywhere and got the kwamis in on it too! She couldn't go anywhere with Charlie without having those stupid, white berries hanging over their heads.

The door opened behind her and she saw Charlie come stand next to her out of the corner of her eye. 

"So..." he said. 

Casey let out a sigh. "Sorry about that. I know it's a little weird." 

"Maybe a little," Charlie admitted. "Though, getting a kiss from you isn't the worst thing in the world." 

"I have absolutely no idea how I'm supposed to take that." 

"It's a compliment, I swear," Charlie said quickly. 

"It's fine," Casey replied with a chuckle. "I mean...they got in their heads that maybe we...like each other. Y'know? Not that you're not really great, it's just, you're my best friend." 

"You're pretty great too. Personally, I think my life would be a lot less colorful without you around." 

"Well....same here." 

Casey hoped her face wasn't starting to turn red. She never thought she made somebody's life colorful. The more she thought about that statement, the more aware she became of the closeness between her and Charlie, both literally and figuratively. 

"So... say there was someone out there who liked you," Charlie said, staring down at his hands. "And the two of you were close. Would you consider giving them a shot?" 

"I don't know," Casey answered. "I guess it would depend. If they really wanted it and I wanted it too, maybe. But I wouldn't want to ruin what we had before, y'know?"

"And what if they wanted to ruin it, just to build something new?" 

Casey glanced at Charlie out of the corner of her eye. He was staring at her intensely. She didn't think she'd ever seen him look that serious about something. He was Charlie. Her Charlie. Carefree, a major goofball and probably one of the people she knew the best and who definitely knew her the best. The guy she loved to work in the Garage with and cover in grease, and who told her terrible jokes until he saw her smile and one person she never wanted to imagine not having and...maybe she didn't hate the idea of having something new with him.

"You know how I said I wanted to finally settle down somewhere?" 

"Yeah. You said there were some details you still needed to work out," Casey recalled. 

"Well...I was thinking of going to a university," Charlie stated. "Study mechanical engineering. I already got accepted into a program and everything." 

"That's wonderful, Charlie," Casey replied. "You could really go anywhere with a degree like that. You could work with any auto company." 

"Yeah, but...there's something else." 

"Something's holding you back?" 

Charlie hesitated for a moment and Casey knew that look on his face. He was trying to gather up courage for something. A part of her suddenly thought that maybe he was moving away to a place where she'd never be able to see him again. What if he moved somewhere like the states? 

"Casey, I want to move to Paris," Charlie blurted. "And I want to be with you." 

"You...you want to be with _me_?" 

"A lot," Charlie replied. "I get it, if that's not what you want and I won't ever bring it up again if you don't want me to, but...I don't want to keep jumping from place to place. I want something that makes one place home and you feel like home. I'm the best version of me when you're around. But if you just want to be friends I get it. I just needed to get that off my chest because you're honestly one of the best people I've ever met and-" 

"Charlie," Casey interjected, taking his hand. "It's ok. It's more than ok, actually." 

"Really? This isn't making things awkward? You'd be willing to try being a couple?" 

"Yes, Charlie. I'm more than willing." 

"But you got so upset with Daisy and Adrien. I thought that meant you might not have felt that way." 

"I got mad at them because it's not their job to make me get into a relationship and it's kind of embarrassing when you get stuck under mistletoe every five minutes with an audience," Casey stated. "Don't tell me you weren't getting irritated by it." 

"Maybe a little bit," he admitted. "But the first time was actually pretty nice." 

"Wow. You're telling me just a tiny kiss on the cheek is enough for you?" Casey chuckled. 

"As long as it's from you," Charlie replied. 

Casey put her hand over her mouth to cover the smile that was forming. "Are you flirting right now?" 

" _Maybe_. Are you hiding your smile because you kind of like it?" 

"It's a possibility." 

Charlie and Casey kind of lost the conversation at that point. The lack of talking didn't make things awkward. If anything, they were comfortable with it. Casey stopped hiding her smile and moved a little closer to Charlie. While Casey watched the snow fall, Charlie wrapped his arm around her and may have been staring at her rather than the snow. When Casey caught him staring, he decided to say the first thing that popped into his head. 

"Would it be a bad idea if I asked to kiss you?" 

"As long as it's not because there's mistletoe," Casey answered.

"No mistletoe. I just really want to," he assured her.

"Then it's not such a bad idea." 

Charlie grinned like an idiot, then leaned down and kissed her. Casey would admit that her heart may have skipped a beat and her face might have been redder than a cherry. It was a pretty nice first kiss. 

Felix noticed that Casey looked significantly happier when she came back inside with Charlie. He also noticed that they happened to be holding hands.Something was different. They took a seat next to Danny, who immediately started whispering with them, probably asking about their sudden change in demeanor. Biz plopped himself on top of Casey's feet as they whispered. Felix overheard a distinct 'it's about time' from Danny and could hazard a guess as to what happened. 

Everyone settled in the living room and put on _Scrooge_ , which Felix would admit was pretty good considering it was from the 70's. Adrien sat down next to him and Daisy sat on the floor in front of them. As the night wore on, they started falling asleep. The first was Daisy, who was curled up on the floor with a pillow. Charles passed Adrien a blanket for him to wrap around her. Josue and Felice fell asleep as they finished _Scrooge_ , then his mother as they were starting the next movie. Felix managed to stay awake longer than everyone else and took in the sight of everyone sleeping around him. Casey and Charlie were cuddling, Danny was using Casey's shoulder as a pillow, Adrien had joined Daisy on the floor and Biz was curled up next to them. Felix glanced over at Amelie and noticed that she had a small smile as she slept. It had been awhile since he'd seen his mother look so at peace. She rather liked Casey and her family and had been ecstatic to receive an invitation to their home. Looking around, Felix found that he liked them too. He settled into a comfortable position on the couch and closed his eyes.


	29. Some Things Will Never Change

"And that's the story of how Mom, Uncle Adrien and Aunt Marinette became the greatest heroes in the world and how they all fell in love and how we got the best family in the world!" 

A twelve-year-old girl with messy black hair pumped her fists in the air as she finished her story. She had shining grey eyes and freckles covering her face. Her jeans were covered in sharpie marks and she wore a bright blue jacket. She was telling her story to her little brother and two cousins. Her little brother, who was six years younger, had pale blonde hair and big, hazel colored eyes, and wrapped himself up tightly in an old, brown hoodie that was much too big for him. One of her cousins was a boy five years younger than her with inky, black hair and bright, green eyes. His sister, just a year younger than him, shared his green eyes but had sun colored, blonde hair. 

"There's no way all of that's true!" the oldest cousin stated. 

"It is too," the girl replied. "Did Uncle Adrien tell you the story, Louis?" 

He shook his head. "But that doesn't mean the story's true! Aunt Casey couldn't have died, otherwise she wouldn't be here and neither would you and Julian!" 

The girl puffed out her cheeks. "Tali!" 

Tali came zooming into the room with Plagg and Tikki close behind. An old and now much slower Biz came with them, squinting at the children in concern. The younger boy, Julian, reached out and promptly hugged the old dog. A young beagle came scampering in and plopped herself next to Biz. Her collar jangled with a tag that displayed her name: Schu 

"What is it, Tara?" Tali asked. 

"Tell Louis the story about when Mom and Uncle Adrien and Aunt Marinette saved Aunt Daisy from Hawkmoth and Mom died," she requested. 

Tali exchanged nervous glances with Plagg and Tikki. "I'm not sure your mother would appreciate me telling you that story while you're so young." 

"So, Mommy didn't die?" Julian asked. "She was just fine?" 

"Well....um...Tikki, why don't you explain this?" Tali replied, turning to the spotted kwami. "After all, you're a _much_ better story teller." 

"The story is hardly appropriate for little children," Tikki insisted. "Your parents would not approve." 

"We wouldn't approve of what?" 

Casey popped her head into the room. Even after seventeen years, she hadn't changed. She still came home covered in grease and oil, her hands were still calloused from hard labor and her Miraculous was still around her neck. The children would swear up and down that sometimes a small breeze would follow her in and out of a room and tickle them whenever she tucked them in. 

"Did you die?" the little blonde girl asked. 

"Now, Emma, who told you that?" Casey asked. 

"You didn't die, right, Mommy?" Julian asked, running up and hugging her around the legs. "You've always been ok?" 

Casey scooped up her son. "Now, if I had died, would I be able to boop you on the nose and tuck you into bed every night? Would I be able to kiss your daddy every time I came home from the Garage?" 

Julian was silent for a moment before shaking his head. "No. I don't think so." 

"Then, I'm perfectly ok," Casey stated. "And I'm not going anywhere any time soon. Now, food just got here, so let's get going before it gets cold." 

Casey put Julian down and he dashed to the kitchen with Emma and Louis in tow. Schu promptly followed the kids while Biz stayed in the room, leaning against Casey's legs. Tara walked up to her mom with a nervous look. 

"Tara," Casey said sternly. "You know better than to tell stories like that to your brother." 

"But it's true," Tara replied. "Why shouldn't he know?" 

"He's six, Tara," Casey stated. "The only thing a story like that will do is make him nervous. And I only told it to you so that you don't push yourself too hard in training. So, please, no more stories like that." 

"It's not like they believed it," Tara mumbled. 

Casey let out a sigh. "C'mon, kiddo. Let's get some dinner." 

Walking through the apartment, pictures adorned the walls and shelves. A picture of the Burtons and Graham de Vanilys at Adrien and Marinette's graduation from Lycee, Adrien's graduation from University, Casey and Charlie's wedding, followed by Adrien and Marinette's and pictures of the Roberts and Agreste children from their births to their current ages. The children were gathered around the table with Adrien, who now wore a pair of rectangular glasses, Marinette, who held a squirming toddler that was definitely a boy version of her, and Charlie. All of them hadn't changed that much, besides getting new smile lines and a little bit wiser. They were a completely ordinary family. Well...maybe ordinary wasn't the right word, because each of the kids would swear up and down that if something was broken, it could take Marinette a single touch to fix it and that Adrien could curse people with bad luck in an instant. 

"Need some help with Hugo?" Casey asked, seeing Marinette struggling to put her son down. 

"Yes," Marinette replied. "You'd think things would get easier the third time around." 

Casey let out a laugh and took the boy. "Motherhood? Get easier? Never." 

"You love us," Louis piped. "After all, we're adorable...except for maybe Tara. She's a teenager." 

Tara shot Louis a glare. "I will throw Plagg's cheese at you." 

Louis promptly ducked below the table. " _Mom_ , she's threatening my with camembert." 

"Aunt Marinette, Louis deserves it," Tara replied. 

"We will not be throwing stinky cheese at the table," Charlie interjected. "We have certain protocol for food fights. If you're going to throw food, throw a french fry." 

Casey picked up one of her own fries and promptly tossed one into Charlie's hair. Charlie turned towards her with a dramatic gasp. 

"I don't believe it. Betrayed, by the love of my life, my soulmate. How could you do this to me, Casey?" 

Casey pulled the fry out of his hair and shoved it into his mouth. "Oh, hush. We both know that if I were to ever betray you, I'd use a little more flair than just tossing a french fry." 

"True. No one can match your flair for the dramatic," Charlie admitted. 

"I think you're discounting a certain cat in the room," Marinette piped, gesturing to Adrien. 

"Me? Dramatic? Never," Adrien said with a grin. 

"We lived with you while you were attending university," Casey stated. "I'm pretty sure Charlie and I have a few memories that beg to differ." 

Adrien smirked and flicked his finger in the direction of Casey's water bottle. As she went to pick it up, she fumbled with it, splashing some water along the front of her hoodie. She shot Adrien a playful glare. A breeze blew through the kitchen and smacked Adrien on the back of the head. 

Marinette cleared her throat. "Just because you can control it doesn't mean you should use it." 

Tara and Louis gaped at their parents and met gazes. Their parents must have been magic. Tali, Plagg and Tikki rolled their eyes. Yes, they were still children at heart. As they finally settled down to enjoy their dinner, phones buzzed with urgent notifications. Charlie was the first to pull his phone out. 

**Hawkmoth and Akuma Sighting**

"Akuma?" Casey asked. 

He nodded. "I can watch the kids. You have a job to do." 

"You're the best, babe," Casey replied, giving him a quick kiss. 

"Be good for your Uncle Charlie," Marinette said, quickly kissing Louis and Emma on the top of their heads. 

"We'll be back soon," Adrien assured them. 

"Be safe," Tara piped. 

"We love you!" Louis added. 

Casey, Marinette and Adrien said their transformation phrases and gave their children one last wave before leaving through the window. The work of heroes was never done. They made their way to the sighting. Sure enough, there was an akuma with Hawkmoth, in her silver butterfly mask and dark, purple suit, cane raised high. They were joined by Bunnix and Queen Bee as they took in their opponents. The three barely had to say a word as they jumped in to begin the fight, with their two friends following their lead. 


End file.
